Most times when someone hears the word refurbished they think something is wrong with the item, or it’s defective. How ever nothing could be further from the actual meaning of the word. Refurbished could mean that an item has been damaged but it also holds several other meanings as well. Refurbished fitness equipment could be customer a customer return. Most equipment stores do offer some sort of return/refund policy on most items in their store. Most cases when an item is returned the store will return the unit to the manufacturer for inspection, and repackaging, however the item can no longer be deemed as new. The manufacturer would then redistribute the equipment as refurbished fitness equipment. This same situation is what would occur if an item were damaged during shipping. There’s a good chance that nothing is wrong with the unit, but the retailer or customer decides that they do not want anything damaged in shipment. Because the item is no longer brand new, it could never again be sold as such. But, if there were problems corrected by the manufacturer, the unit then becomes refurbished.

It’s possible that an item labeled as refurbished fitness equipment could have some simple cosmetic damage, possibly a dent or scratch, or possibly a more serious cosmetic defect. However cosmetic damage doesn’t mean that there is a serious problem with the functioning of the equipment, but it is no longer brand new. Hence if the manufacturer inspected it, it’s now considered refurbished.

If a piece of fitness equipment is on demo or display at a store, often it’s replaced by a new unit and the demo is removed from the sales floor. Generally these demo pieces are sent back to the manufacturer for inspection. The reason for an inspection to take place is to ensure there are no damages or defects, most often the item is repackaged and sent back to a retailer dealing in refurbished fitness equipment. In a situation like this the only thing separating a brand new item and the refurbished unit is the fact that one was on display.

Other refurbished classifications may involve a box that was simply opened by mistake, directions that are missing or overstock of a particular item. The bottom line is that, whenever a product is returned to the manufacturer for any reason, it is then inspected. If repairs are needed, the manufacturer takes care of those repairs before repackaging the item. If it’s a simple case of missing directions, they are replaced. The product is then shipped and resold as refurbished fitness equipment.

Other reasons for product being deemed refurbished could be an open box model, or a unit missing directions. When a product is returned to the manufacturer and they are required to inspect it or make some repairs before it is re-saleable the unit becomes refurbished. It could be as simple as missing directions, or a repair to a part of the item. The fact is that the original manufacturer makes the repairs, and then ships them out to be resold.

When purchasing refurbished equipment it’s important that you’re familiar with the stores refund and warranty policy. If there isn’t one it may not be the best idea to make your purchase there. When possibly ask your sales person if they know why the item is refurbished, and what the original problem may have been.

The contents of this refurbished fitness equipment article are intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered, or used as, medical advice or recommendations. Before starting any fitness routine, you should consult with your family doctor or a licensed physician to learn what risks, if any, exist.

For more information about refurbished and new equipment check out our site Fitness and Exercise Equipment

Looking through exercise related web sites you should find many that have done reviews of treadmills for their reliability, usability and value for the money paid. You can also check out the more popular running and exercise related magazines to see if they carry reviews as well. This way you can make a good list of the top 10 treadmills in your price range and also find out the features that are available with them. Also it may be worth asking the instructors at your local gym, as they may be familiar with the machines and which are the really best value for their price.

Making your own list of the top 10 treadmills is a much better way of finding out which is the best treadmill for you instead of just going to a exercise shop and asking the salesman. The local sporting good stores usually only carry a limited range and of course, are likely to recommend their own machines above those of their competitors.

Buying a treadmill is an important decision, not only because it is expensive, but also because you want to get the best reward for your effort while exercising and the best way to do this, is to make sure that you get the best machine available for your budget. Although it is tempting to go out and buy the machine that looks the best in the advertisements, just because they have the best advertising does not mean that they necessarily have the best treadmill. And it is quite possible that there are much better machines available for the money that are more reliable and will give you a much better workout.

Making a list of the top 10 treadmills, is a good way to make sure all that you have looked at all the best machines available before deciding on which treadmill is the best for you and means that you’re much more likely to get the best machine for your money.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com He provides more treadmill ratings, recommendations and information on finding the top 10 treadmills that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

StarTrac offers a standard one-year warranty and 90 days on wearable parts. You will receive lifetime phone support and outstanding customer service. StarTrac is among the more expensive brands of treadmills available, but the quality and performance is outstanding. There are several models from which to choose and all models are built with a solid frame and longwearing parts. StarTrac offers a highly rated impact absorption system that reduces wear on your knees, ankles, and back. The price range for a top quality StarTrac treadmill is from $1,700 to over $6,000 dollars. This may seem quite expensive, but with StarTrac you definitely get what you pay for.

Professional gyms and athletes around the world use StarTrac treadmills. The investment is well worth the effort. StarTrac provides a top quality treadmill that will last for many years. You can often find used StarTrac treadmills that have been reconditioned or only slightly used for a cheaper price. When looking for a treadmill that will endure and offer you top levels of performance, StarTrac is among the best you can find.

Ken Austin is the webmaster at http://www.onlinehomegym.com and http://fitness-equipment.mynichesites.com

Landice has been selling treadmills for a number of years. Their focus is to build sturdy treadmills with the best components available. The result is machines that are built to last and are capable of taking a beating. Of course, that comes at a price. Their least expensive treadmill starts at $3,100, and their commercial grade models top off at $5,000. Let’s just say, you don’t want these treadmills to end up as clothes racks.

So what do you get for your money?

As mentioned, Landice utilizes the best components available for treadmills. For example, they equip their machines with 3.0 hp continuous duty Baldor motors. These motors are monsters in comparison to most treadmill motors. There are a number of companies that claim their treadmills have 3.0 hp motors, but if you were to compare them to the Baldor motor there would be a noticeable difference in the size. This powerful motor assures that the treadmill will run at even the highest speeds without straining.

Landice uses a 4-ply treadbelt, the majority of competitors use 2-ply. Although costing significantly more, this 4-ply belt provides twice the strength of a 2-ply belt. It also adds additional cushioning to reduce impact.

Another quality component that Landice installs are 2.5″ rollers. These are the same rollers used in the best commercial treadmills. The larger the roller diameter the less tension required on the treadbelt, since the roller has more surface area to grab the belt. Decreased tension means decreased friction and longer life on belts, motor, bearings and the rollers themselves.

As you can see these treadmills are built to institutional standards, in fact Landice has over 20,000 treadmills placed in health clubs around the world. And unlike every other fitness manufacturer that builds treadmills, Landice only produces treadmills. They are not also building, elliptical trainers, strength machines and stationary bicycles. Their focus is solely treadmills.

Who should buy a Landice treadmill?

Individuals who are going to abuse a treadmill. We’re talking serious runners, including competitors and marathon runners. These treadmills are ideal for people who push their equipment to the limit.

Landice Receives “Best Buy” Recommendations

In the past Landice has received a top pick from one of the most popular consumer rating magazine. Landice has also received a number of “Best Buy” ratings. Treadmill Doctor states, “An incredibly solid treadmill. Some cheaper treadmills may be better for some people but if you’re serious, this is a serious machine.”

Men’s Fitness Magazine had these comments on the Landice L7 Executive Trainer: “If you want the best – and can afford it – the L7 is the bad boy.”

If you want a treadmill that can withstand strenuous use, then you should consider Landice. They are built to last and may just out last you.

Fred Waters worked in the treadmill industry for a number of years, and is the author of the Treadmill Rating and Review site. Check out all of his Landice Treadmill Reviews, and see how they compare.

Usually one of two things happen. Some people develop the ‘paralysis by analysis’ syndrome and end up either never getting started with a program or they quit soon after starting.

On the flip side, many people go from one weight lifting routine to another without any rhyme or reason as to why they have chosen a specific weight training program. And they bounce around so quickly, changing their lifting program so often, that they never stick with a routine long enough to know if it’s effective or not.

Many different programs, such as the 3 day training split, can be very effective. The key is to incorporate the fundamentals of weight training into the routines. This will allow you to make the progress that you want. Below, you’ll find descriptions of these fundamentals. Here’s an example of one aspect of this.

Let’s say you’ve chosen to workout according to a 3 day split. You workout three days per week, training each body part once per week. After a few weeks, you change to a full body workout and you are still training three times per week. Now you are training each body part three times per week.

All things being equal, you will need to drastically reduce the volume of your routine. When you were using one of the 3 day split routines, you might have been doing 8 work sets for your chest, because you were only working chest once per week. Now you are currently working chest three times per week and working your entire body in that same workout. So, in order to keep making progress and not overtrain, you may only do 2 sets for your chest. Likewise, you would reduce the number of sets for all your other body parts as well.

Here is one of my favorite 3 day split routines

Three Times Per Week

Workout 1 (Monday and Friday)

Squats – 1 x 20

Calf Raises 1 x 15 – 20

Seated Calf Raises 1 x 12 – 15

Close Grip Pulldowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 – 12

DB Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 – 12

DB Pullovers 1 x 8 – 12

Decline Bench Press (X-Reps) 2 x 8 – 12

DB Flyes 1 x 8 – 12

Dips (X – Reps) 1 x 12 – 15

DB Upright Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 – 12

Incline Laterals 1 x 8 – 12

DB Lateral Raises 1 x 8 – 12

Workout 2 (Wednesday)

Tricep Pushdowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 – 12

Incline DB Curls (X-Reps) 1 x 8 – 12

DB Overhead Extensions (Drop Set) 1 x 8 – 12 (6)

DB Concentration Curls (Drop Set) 1 x 8 – 12 (6)

Tricep Kickbacks 1 x 8 -12

Wall BB Curls 1 x 8 – 12

This routine involves working the legs, chest, back, and shoulders twice per week and working the arms once per week by themselves.

In order to design an effective program or split routine, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of weight lifting

At the time, I felt like I was higher than a mountain. I was running five miles every morning, laboring through a hard day of strenuous work every day, then hitting the gym every night. I could rip out pushups in three-digit sets, grind through a set of 60 dips without cracking a single sweat gland.

Meanwhile, my strength remained in tact. I was benching, curling, pressing, pulling, and squatting more than ever before. The higher my gains had soared, the lower my body fat percentage would drop. Yes, I was in the best shape of my life.

I bounced off my 15-minute warm-up session on the stepper and was ready to take over this new gym by storm. I had never worked out at this particular facility before but it didn’t matter. At the time, I felt invincible.

On my way over to the Smith machine, I noticed a small gathering in the far corner of the gym. All eyes were focused on the wall where something new, something intriguing had to be whirling up this fuss.

I strutted over to check this out for myself just as a middle-aged man came crashing to the floor, his face purple with exhaustion, his breath caught deep in his gut. He looked like a soldier returning from battle, as he was instantly consoled by his awaiting love.

I peered up at the enemy. Hovering above was the most bizarre piece of fitness equipment I’d ever seen. It was big, it was strange, it was awkward, it was ugly.

It was awesome.

One look at it and I knew exactly what it was. It was a rock-climbing machine. It rested on the floor and nearly extended to the height of the ceiling, a large conveyor belt that rotated on a metal frame. Along the belt was a series of synthetic rocks and grooves, designed to simulate an actual cliff. Along the side was a lever that regulated the speed in which the belt would rotate.

It was aptly named “The Rock.”

Nobody else made a move to tackle this endeavor. Nobody dared. Nobody except me.

The movie “Cliffhanger”, the Sylvester Stallone flick that brought the action genre to new heights, was buzzing across everyone’s lips at the time and no doubt had inspired the gym to purchase such a workout device.

I was feeling a little bit like “Rocky” myself so I emerged from the crowd like the heavyweight champ and bolstered myself atop this machine.

What happened next, I’d rather not divulge.

Let’s just say that three minutes later, the ego, the self esteem, the soaring confidence, it all came crashing down off the wall with me. I sat on the gym in a heap of defeat, my arms and legs completely shot, my heart racing like a Nissan. “The Rock” had knocked me out.

The morale of the story (besides keeping your ego in check) is that rock climbing is one of the most physically challenging exercises you could possible take on. After all, there has to be a reason why professional rock climbers are so lean and healthy.

Rock climbing is an exercise that not only strengthens your legs and upper torso, but it may also be the best method for improving range of motion.

As imposing as my three-minute bout with “The Rock” may sound, the apparatus is actually the ideal way to begin this activity. The resistance of the machine can be set at a very low level for beginners to accustom themselves to the form and motion needed in rock climbing.

You can eventually work your way up to a faster pace, which provides for a sensational workout. I remember feeling a resounding pump throughout my entire body after just a few fast-paced minutes on the machine.

Your battles don’t necessarily end after you’ve conquered the “Rock.” Hundreds of rock climbing gyms have been cropping up across the country and offer the most challenging of programs.

Hiking along a rocky trail, two of the three friends carefully picked their way from rock to rock. But one leaped from rock to rock, bounding by the others like a gazelle running and leaping from rock to rock. Never missing his footing, the others wondered at his almost supernatural grace and skill. “How does he do that?” they thought.

When most people think of physical fitness, they think of strength and cardiovascular fitness. If they are really thinking about it, they’ll add flexibility to the list.

But there’s something few people think about when working out, a missing component of physical fitness. You can’t get it just by lifting weights or running on a treadmill.

The missing component is agility.

Agility is what let my friend run rings around us, leaping from rock to rock along the Pedernales River in Texas. Agility is what you see in top athletes who make great skill look effortless. Agility is what helps a ballet dancer make it look effortless. Agility is how Jackie Chan can still do martial arts even while he is rolling over tables, bouncing off walls, leaping between the rungs of ladders.

I didn’t understand that until years after the hike along the Pedernales River. Now, after doing martial arts for almost 30 years, I understand. When you watch someone who moves with grace and skill, you’re seeing agility.

Have you ever had an experience where you felt clumsy?

Have you ever fumbled the ball, or tripped over your own two feet?

Or have you ever seen someone who is in great shape, but they just can’t coordinate, they can’t move?

The missing component of physical fitness is agility.

If you just do weights or cardio, you’re not going to develop agility. If you want agility, you have to move, and you have to adapt on the fly to changing (and often intense) situations.

Some sports and fitness activities promote agility more than others. For me, martial arts gave me agility. I’ve been dong WingTsun Kung Fu(TM) for 25 years, and martial arts in general for almost 30. I have to be able to adapt to what an opponent is doing quickly and perfectly. I have to seize the advantage, gain and maintain dynamic control. I have to stay balanced and graceful even while moving rapidly and adjusting to the changing dynamics of sparring.

Many other sports really develop agility as well. Basketball, tennis, soccer, hockey, skiing, snowboarding… they all develop and require agility.

If you’re not doing something to develop agility, today is a good day to start. You’ll be amazed at the difference increased agility will make in feeling physically fit. Before long you’ll move with the grace of a cat, you’ll bound like a gazelle.

Don’t just lift weights and do cardio – get out there and do something to increase your agility as well. Get together with some buddies for basketball. Go play some tennis. Take up martial arts. Agility will give you the ability to actually DO something with all of the physical fitness you’ve been developing. You will feel better and move better, and you will probably have a lot more fun than just running on a treadmill or lifting weights!

As with some fats, cholesterol cannot be dissolved in the blood. Instead, molecules called lipoproteins carry cholesterol to and from cells. Molecules are made from an outer layer of protein and an inner core of both cholesterol and triglycerides, which is another form of fat.

Lipoproteins equip the cholesterol to move around the body. The two main types of lipoproteins are:

1) High Density Lipoproteins (HDL.)

• HDL transports cholesterol from cells back to the liver.

• HDL is either reused or converts to bile acids and disposed. This is known as “good” cholesterol. You want to ensure that your levels of this cholesterol remain high for optimum heart health, since having too low levels of HDL – even when other cholesterol levels are normal – may lead to heart problems. As you work to lower your “bad cholesterol” it is important to also take steps and to keep your HDL levels normal.

• HDL aids to ensure protection from the risk of heart attack and/or stroke. HDL consists of more protein than triglycerides or cholesterol, and aids to remove LDL from your artery walls.

2) Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL.)

• LDL carries approximately 60_70% of cholesterol around the body and are known as “bad” cholesterol.

• Studies show conclusively that high cholesterol leads to much higher risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Other factors involved in this risk are age, gender, smoking, family history of heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.

Obviously, when we speak of having “cholesterol levels” we mean more than one number. To maintain optimum health, you will need to know your levels of both LDL and HDL and will need to work hard to keep both levels in healthy ranges.

Adjustable dumbbells are one of the best investments you can make in your home gym. If you still need convincing, check out the following 5 reasons why you need to grab your own adjustable dumbbell set.

1. Range of exercises

One of the main advantages of dumbbells over traditional weight machines is that you can perform a number of different exercises without changing machines. You can easily change from doing bicep curls to tricep kickbacks just by changing your body position. So instead of buying 4 different machines to get a total body workout you just need one adjustable dumbbell set.

2. Price

If you look around today you could easily spend $1000’s of dollars on different pieces of exercise equipment just to work different muscle groups. Surprisingly you can get a set of adjustable dumbbells for only $200-$300 depending on the weight of the set. Considering the range of exercises you can perform this is fantastic value for money!

Compare this price to your local gym membership and you’ll quickly see why this is such good value.

3. Convenience of adjustability

This is what makes adjustable dumbbells so great and what differentiates them from traditional dumbbells. By using a simple quick change pin you can instantly change from one dumbbell weight to the next. Think of it like a pin loaded weight machine but with dumbbells. Because you change the dumbbell weight with a pin you don’t need a room full of dumbbells which can get in the way and cost a lot of money.

4. Space

Unlike traditional dumbbells which need a dumbbell rack and lots of space to store, adjustable dumbbells sit on a stand so can be tucked away in the corner of a room. That way you can leave more space for the larger fitness equipment like ellipticals or treadmills.

If you have been putting off building your home gym because of a lack of space you now have no excuse!!

5. Maximum Muscular development

Dumbbells, also known as free weights, are the best for maximizing muscular development. Because they are less stable than machine weights you have to use more muscles (stabilizing muscles) to help support the weight and exercise with proper form. If you have every tried performing both a traditional bench press and a dumbbell press you’ll know that using dumbbells are a lot harder.

A person who can bench press 200lb x 8 reps with a traditional bar might only be able to do 160lb (80lb per hand) x 8 reps with dumbbells simple because you have to work harder to stabilize the weight.

So there you have it. What excuses do you have now? Make a smart decision and put adjustable dumbbells at top of your home gym priority list.