With a United States base of operations, the name “Nike” is synonymous with athletic wear and equipment. Indeed, they are the largest producers and suppliers of both athletic clothing and shoes. The company has successfully used sports stars, such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Le Bron James, to endorse their products in their advertising campaigns. Now the Nike Company is using their vast knowledge and experience in designing and producing high quality items to get into the heart rate monitor business. Their innovative designs and their use of new technology are creating buzz in the industry. A popular item in this category, lauded by those into health and fitness, is the Nike Triax C8 Heart Monitor Watch.

Review: Nike Triax C8

This Nike heart rate monitor has everything you will ever need to accomplish your fitness or weigh loss goals. The purpose of a heart rate monitor is to take the guess work out of training and make it as effective as possible. With the Nike C8, you get this and more. It is designed to be durable and sturdy. It has an S-Shape wrist band for comfort and to ease of use. Just like all the other Nike heart rate monitors, the Nike C8 is not meant to be bothersome to the user. That is why it was designed so simply.

Extra Features

Apart from being on one touch button monitor, the Triax C8 has a large and easy to read display screen. For runners, this Nike heart monitor watch is ideal because it has a stop watch or chronograph mode, displays lap and split times and an all new RUN mode. It allows you to also later review your times and see where necessary adjustments need to be made.

This monitor also doubles as a great everyday watch with the time of day and date display along with an alarm feature. It has a heart rate zone, shows average heart rate, and has a two segment interval timer and monitors speed work with recovery sessions. It is also a waterproof heart monitor and comes with a chest transmitter for a more accurate heart rate reading.

Final Looks

If you are searching for the right heart rate monitor to help you get over those fitness humps, try out the Nike C8 Heart Monitor Watch. You are sure to not be disappointed with all that this Nike heart rate monitor has to offer.

Many people think that massage chairs are really expensive items only for the rich and famous. There certainly is a high-end of the market with luxury massage chairs. These luxury massage chairs incorporate numerous functions and features to provide effective massage therapy. However, there are full body massage chairs available starting at just under $1000. I would like to draw your attention to the best in class the M-2 Orion massage chair by Omega Massage.

The M-2 massage chair by Omega is the first full body massage chair priced under $1000. It delivers massage to the feet, calves, thighs, buttocks, back and neck. It is quite surprising at the effectiveness of the massage chair and it’s very invigorating features.

The first thing you notice about the Orion massage chair is its striking design. It is a contemporary design with sweeping armrest. The armrests are very comfortable and contain a good amount of cushion. This is very relaxing for the arms while getting your massage.

Many people look at the Ijoy massage chair which is just a couple hundred dollars less than the Orion massage chair. The ijoy massage chair sits very low to the ground and some people have trouble exiting the chair after a massage. The ijoy also does not perform a full body massage.

The Orion massage chair has the most complete set of massage features for under $1000. The massage is also very invigorating. The rollers perform a number of different massages which are very effective in loosening up tight muscles in the back and shoulders.

One of the best massage techniques that I have seen in a while is in the Orion massage chair. The sway massage is an excellent massage movement. It provides a side to side motion which is great for relieving tension and tightness in the larger muscles of your back and shoulders. This is quite an invigorating massage and I was surprised at the power of this chair.

The M2 massage chair comes with three automatic, timed programs. These are massage programs already programmed into the chairs computer. Simply touch a button and the massage will run the entire chair.

The Orion massage chair also comes with a negative ion feature. This new technology is used to create a rise in the density of oxygen. As you get your massage, stagnant air will accumulate around your body. The negative ion helps to push fresh air around your body for a healthier massage.

In order to accommodate taller people and to allow targeting of the legs, the M2 comes with an extendable leg rest. Use the lever to extend the leg rest an extra 3 inches. Adjust the leg rest to better position it for a targeted calf or foot massage.

One important feature of any massage chair is to allow you to target the massage. The M2 Orion provides for three manual massage courses. This allows you to set a particular massage technique and specify the area of coverage. The three areas of coverage are overall, upper back and lower back.

The M2 Orion massage chair by Omega is unique in its class. It is the only massage chair which delivers a true full body massage. It is also a full sized chair enabling those with back trouble to easily exit the chair.

Not all massage chairs have to be expensive. The Orion massage chair delivers affected massage therapy at a fraction of the cost of luxury models. Of course, it does not have all the bells and whistles of a luxury model but it does provide effective and invigorating massage therapy. In the end, the goal of a massage chair is to relieve and relax. The M2 Orion massage chair by Omega delivers.

Many health conscious people are enrolling in a gym as a direct result of the trend to stay fit, slim and healthy throughout the globe. However, if you have already reached the goal of being lean, the next step is to build up your muscles to get an attractive physique.

If bodybuilding is what you are targeting at, you must get a good gym membership. Not only will you be able to stay enthused, you will also get the kind of guidance and equipment that is necessary for bodybuilding. After you have enrolled in a gym, you should go by a suitable exercise regime so that you can extract good results out of your efforts.

The primary thing to do is to get your workout schedule charted out. A gym trainer can assist you set your fitness goals and tell you in detail what you need to do to attain your goals. You should ensure that your whole week is properly planned, including what exercises you will do, how much weight you will lift and what number of times you will be repeating a particular workout on a particular day.

Mental preparation before you begin your daily exercise is a necessity to put you in the right mindset. Any amount of laziness or relaxation should be first shed off, because these might hamper your regimen and may also be detrimental to your health. You need to be agile and bring your competitive self to the gym so that you can remain focused on your program.

Keep a record of the progress you have made from the time you began your gym program. This will keep you on the correct path and give you a sense of direction and control. Putting down your progress in writing and seeing it on paper will increase your enthusiasm and propel you towards achieving your goal.

If you have enrolled in a good gym that employs seasoned instructors, then they will teach you all the techniques that are assigned for particular exercises in your programme. But in case you are under the guidance of an inexperienced instructor, you must cross check that the techniques he is teaching you are not unscientific or risky by surfing bodybuilding websites or going through a good book on this subject.

Finally, your diet plan forms a critical element of a gym program. Gym dieticians can instruct you on the diet you need to follow that will enable your body to replenish the proteins and carbohydrates that are consumed during your workouts.

In today’s fitness and weight loss world, people are always looking for the best machine to deliver them the best workout and help them reach their weight goals, so we will take a look at the top two best sellers and see what a comparison of the treadmill vs. elliptical trainer yields and which will come out as the more suitable machine for weight loss.

Treadmills are more popular than ellipticals, but the sales for ellipticals is rising quicker than ever before. So, which machine would you pick if you are trying to lose weight and get fit? Which machine will meet your demands in the best way?

Treadmills have been in existence for over 10 years and are still ranked the most popular among both old and new fitness enthusiasts. It is an exercise machine where one can work out without the need for extra or special skills. You can adjust the speed and incline controls to match your desired workout intensity. The more expensive models have heart rate monitors and MP3 docks to make your exercise session safer and more fun. There are also a number of built-in programs which you can use depending on the kind of workout you’d like to have. If you’re doing fitness routines at home, space is not a problem as treadmills can be folded down and kept away. Treadmill workouts impact the ankles, lower back and knees minimally. In the end, you have a great machine that works the lower body as intensely as you want it to.

The elliptical trainer, on the other hand, is a relatively new fitness equipment but is fast growing in both popularity and sales among the same users of the treadmill. Instead of just offering a lower body workout, the elliptical offers a whole body workout, and yet users do not experience the impact of running. The elliptical concentrates on both the lower and upper body during use. The workout is a low impact one and is ideal for people with injured or weakened backs, knees, and ankles.

When looking at treadmills vs. elliptical trainers for weight loss, there are many factors to consider. With the treadmill, you are working out your entire body and this will of course, allow you to burn calories fast and therefore helps you lose weight. With treadmills, the focus is on brisk walking, jogging, and running, which, although more concentrated on the lower body, are also great forms of exercise for keeping fit and shedding off the pounds.

So if you are weighing the pros and cons of a treadmill vs. elliptical trainer for weight loss, it is important to keep the points mentioned above in mind. Some may opt for the high-intensity workout that serious running brings, while others may opt for the whole body and low-impact exercise that the elliptical can provide. The choice is ultimately yours to make.

The Polar Rs800CX is an excellent heart rate monitor for someone who is very devoted to athletics and training. The Polar heart monitors is not for weaklings because it promises results and better performance. It is an elegant training watch and a lot of professional athletes all over the world use it to assist them to accomplish their personal goals. A wonderful thing about this Polar Heart Monitor is that normal everyday people who want to take off a few pounds can use it. This means that you don’t have to guess how you are exercising and makes sure you get the most you can from them. A brief review about the Polar Rs800cx heart rate monitor follows.

Features and Functions

The Rs800cx offers a broad range of great features, it has a brand new system for planning workouts and monitoring and tracking every part of it. Additional features include a altimeter that is built directly into the device, a W.I.N.D WearLink heart rate monitor with a transmitter that includes a soft textile strap for the chest, and a Polar ProTrainer 5 software and also a GPS G3 sensor that helps measure the speed and distance in a vast range of sports. Heart monitors that give such a comprehensive training workout that is both effective and efficient are a rarity these days.

This Polar Heart Monitor Watch can accommodate a wide spectrum of sports ranging from cycling and swimming to running and skiing. It is just one of those things that comes once in a blue moon and takes the world by storm. In this case, the Rs800cx has really put itself in a good position in the heart rate monitor industry.

It also doubles as a great everyday watch in that it has functions such as a 12/24-hour clock with the day/week indicator; a back light that is built in, an alarm with a the snooze feature and an indicator for low battery. It tracks heart rate; counts the calories burned and calculate distance. In addition to all these, it is waterproof to a depth of 50 meters and comes with a two year warranty depending on where you purchase one from.

Final Outlook

All in all, this Polar Heart Monitor Watch is a real good monitor to really get you on track with you fitness and weight loss goals. It has everything you will ever need to get of the ground and get your heart pumping.

If you are looking for a modestly priced treadmill that is well built, then the ProForm line of treadmills might be what you’re looking for. This article will cover the basics of buying a good fitness treadmill so that you can get the features that you desire. We will also look at the ProForm line which is one of the more popular brands on the market today.

First thing everyone should do is rate the treadmills. Keep in mind you’re not rating it based on other people’s standards, you’re rating them on what you want out of a fitness treadmill. So, take a pad and paper and think about everything that should be on your treadmill. You will want to know more about the weight capacity, length of the strides, the width, the motor, the warranty, the noise level, if it’s easy to use, whether it has good directions, and all kinds of other options. Keeping track of all these will help you narrow down the choices until you have the perfect fitness treadmill for your home.

Choosing the Right Treadmill for Years to Come!

Everyone wants to purchase a treadmill that is going to last a lifetime, but you have to consider all kinds of things to make that happen. Whether it’s the ease of the treadmill, how hard or easy it will be to understand everything that is offered, and even if it’s going to be the right fit for your personal needs. See, the idea is to get a good workout, and the best way to do that is by having user-friendly controls.

The biggest thing is you want to customize the machine for you. Just like you would when picking out a car. Sure the standard traits are necessary, but there may be a few extras you need along the way. For instance, if you need to stay indoors when it’s hot, then you’re looking for an indoor treadmill that is better for walking and light jogging. Then again, if you’re young and workout everyday, a heavy-duty treadmill is more your speed.

Whichever level of fitness you choose, you will want it to do some basic things like measure your heart rate as you walk, readouts that chart calories, time and distance as well as a tredmill that allows for your weight capacity. As well, a good, fitness treadmill should have an incline range for people who are heavier, with heart conditions or have joint and bone problems and need to walk slower but still want to get a good workout

The ProForm treadmill comes in 10 different models with different pricing, weight capacity, motor strength and extra features like a CoolAire Workout Fan, iPod music port, Clearview Backlit Display and various strengths of motors. Depending on what you are planning to do with your fitness treadmill will determine which model you eventually wind up with. The quiet, all purpose tredmill has long been considered an excellent cardio machine with different walking speeds, inclines and degrees of difficulty to suit all tastes and goals. The weight capacity range on all of the ProForm treadmill models from 300 to 350 pounds.

Since motor strength is important, the Proform line comes with various ones for each machine. You can choose from the Endura 2.25 HP, Endura 2.8 motors as well as 2.25 CHP Commercial motors that range from 2.25 to 3.0 CHP motors. Just remember that it’s not always about the power, and more about your own needs.

The whole idea here is to help you make the best decision possible when purchasing a new Proform Treadmill. We specifically designed this site to do that for you. So if you have any questions or even a comment, send us an email. Then again, it’s much easier to subscribe to our Treadmill Bits newsletter for more fitness treadmill information.

How do modern moms keep their balance between home and work? Trying to have it all takes emotional and physical fortitude. It takes commitment and practice to achieve a perfect balance, if a perfect balance actually exists. Time management is really at issue here. Putting aside time for both home and work related issues requires a plan and even a schedule. Scheduling time for your children?

To physically understand balance training, look at the muscles needed in keeping our balance. Leg muscles, back muscles, and core muscles make up the magic grouping. These are the groups of muscles involved with keeping upright and balanced. Keeping these body parts strong and agile will help fend off fits of falling especially as we age.

The leg muscles and their ability to react with strength have an enormous impact on strong balance skills. Exercises like squats and lunges work your quads, hamstrings, glutes and lower leg. They work doubly hard by working balance itself. Try doing a lunge when your balance is off. Its impossible. If age related injuries or old sports injures prevent you from doing squats and lunges, take a swim. Swimming is a weight supported exercise and a little easier on the joints than weight bearing exercise.

Try doing four days a week of mini workouts alternating between strength training, cardio, stretching and core work. Have just 15 minutes a day? That’s all you need to stay in shape. Lets start with your spine. Keeping your back strong means better posture and less spasms. Since the back muscles work directly with the spine, they can keep you mobile and standing tall. The long erector muscles on either side of the spinal column do exactly what their name implies by keeping you erect. Better posture feels better and feeling better is what we want.

Core muscles include the abdominal, gluteal, inner thigh, and pelvic floor muscles. These are the biggest contributors to better posture and balance. Keeping stable on an unstable surface automatically engages the core muscles. For instance, working on a balance pad or any other unstable tool forces you into trying to keep your balance and its the core muscles that keep you there. Pilates is infamous for a stronger core, so find a qualified instructor and find your balance.

Keeping a balanced body is challenging, but keeping a balanced life is more intangible and harder to do. This life is busy! Raising kids in this kind of environment while still keeping some sense of who you are is the biggest challenge of all. Find moments of peace where you can reflect on your day. Taking time for yourself can be meaningful in the long run and better for your family.

Everybody knows the importance of aging well. Staying strong requires a responsibility to both the physical (body) and emotional(mind). The future will come sooner than expected. So why put off something you can prepare to do now?

Are you a serious about body builder? Then you may want to know that regular massage therapy can be a great enhancement to your routine. Regular massage therapy helps to increase muscle tone, improve range of motion, enhances your flexibility and reduces recovery time from injury. Your current routine is probably very disciplined with your diet, exercise and stretching. The addition of regular massage therapy can be the edge you are looking for. If you are not able to consistently see a massage therapist, you may be interested in the convenience and economics of a massage chair recliner.

What are some of the major benefits of receiving regular massage therapy? For body builders in particular, massage therapy helps to increase your body’s circulation. This helps to provide more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Additionally, this helps reduce the occurrence of muscle spasms and cramps. If your muscles become overworked or injured, massage helps to soften the muscles and scar tissue. It enhances your flexibility by improving the range of motions of joints. It can reduce the recovery time from hard workouts while also helping to reduce its associated aches and pains. Massage therapy releases your natural pain killer or endorphins which decreases pain.

Would you like to gain an edge over the competition? Sports massages have become very prevalent in most professional and Olympic venues. Top athletes have been prepared before their events with a massage to decrease muscle stiffness and increase their flexibility. Massage also helps increase your circulation which increases your mental alertness and awareness. If you are looking for an edge, then regular massage therapy may just be the enhancement you need.

The reason most body builders do not get regular massage therapy is it is simply not convenient. They have to schedule an appointment and the therapist is only available at certain hours during the day. Getting regular massage therapy can thus be problematic. A massage chair recliner on the other hand, provide you with 24/7 access and no appointment is required. You can get frequent massage therapy, which studies have shown is the key to getting the real benefits from massage.

Massage chairs provide a wide range of therapies. Some of the best massage chairs have hundreds of different possible massage therapies available. Some of the most common are Shiatsu, Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage and acu-pressure massage. Additionally, massage chairs can perform full body massage. A roller system is used for the back, neck and shoulders. The lower body and arms/hands are massaged using an air compression massage. These massage therapies are very effective.

Some advanced massage chairs also have full body heat. Heat can be applied to different sections of the massage recliner. This helps to reduce swelling and help blood flow. Also, there are lower body traction systems. These traction systems will stretch out the lower body from the lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles. This is especially relieving after a good strenuous work out. Some massage chairs incorporate music players with headphones so that you can relax in your own environment.

Most people think that massage chairs are expensive. However, if you are getting regular massage therapy, then they really are the most economic way to receive massage therapy. A massage therapist may cost $50 per hour plus tip. Massage chairs can provide an hour massage for as little as $3 per hour. Most massage chairs are rated for 1,000 hours. If you purchased a $3,000 chair, then your cost per hour is $3. This is a big economic advantage.

If you are looking for an edge over the competition, then you owe it to yourself to find out how regular massage therapy can benefit you. The benefits of regular massage therapy are significant. Massage therapy is useful before and after your event. Keep yourself in top condition and get the edge you need with the convenience of a massage chair recliner.

It is very difficult to compare Sole F80 and Smooth 6.45, as there are fewer differences and more similarities between both the treadmills. Therefore, you will have a hard time in making that decision if you were to make a choice between Smooth 6.45 and Sole F80.

Specifications

The treadmills have the relatively the same basic facilities: speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, up to 15% incline level and 3.0 HP motors with continuous duty facility.

The Sole F80 is lighter, weighing in at 250 pounds, while the Smooth 6.45 weighs 265 pounds. Despite the small weight difference, stability is guaranteed from both machines even with a 350-pound runner using them. The Smooth model though. has a larger running area offering 20 by 60 inches, while the Sole model is restricted to an area of 20 by 55 inches.

Console and User Programs

Both machines have LED consoles useful for displaying the user’s important data which includes the time elapsed, speed, and the total distance covered. You also get the convenience of added programs that are either preset ot customized to fit your workout needs.

There are 10 built-in programs in the Sole F80: 2 are heart rate programs, 6 standard programs and the last 2 programs are user customizable programs. Smooth, on the other hand has 8 standard programs and 3 programs which are user customizable. You will get hand pulse grips for both machines but only sole has that extra feature because it comes with a wireless chest strap for monitoring the heart rate during the workout.

Added Characteristics

Wouldn’t your daily jog be more fun with some of your favorite tunes playing? This is not a problem for the Sole F80. Built-in speakers allow users to plug in an MP3 player or iPod to keep the tunes flowing through the entire workout. The Smooth 6.45 has no speaker system of its own but the Smooth 6.45M, its sister model which costs $100 more in price, is already equipped with speakers.

The Soles F80 also has the added facility of having the speed and incline controls on the armrest. This gives you the opportunity of making adjustments without breaking the continuity of the workout process.

Better Warranty And Price

While the two treadmills are priced a bit steep at their regular prices of $1,999 and $2,297 each, these two great value fitness machines are currently on sale at $1,499 each. They also hold some of the best warranties in the industry: lifetime warranty for frame and motor, 5-year warranty for electronic parts, and another 2 years on labor.

Sole F80 vs Smooth 6.45 – Getting the best one

Both the sole and the smooth treadmills have the capacity to keep up with your daily workout. However, if you would have me make the choice for the best, I’d go for the Smooth 6.45. Though Sole has some additional features that are absent in the 6.45, I would still prefer the larger running area of the Smooth model. Besides, Smooth 6.45 is really one of Smooth Fitness’ best treadmills.