Adaptive Motion Trainer vs. Treadmill
An adaptive motion trainer is similar to an elliptical, but you can walk, run and step on it. Treadmills have a rolling belt and shock-absorbent surface.
Read more →Fitness Mastery: Hypertrophy, HIIT & Running Optimization
Comprehensive fitness involves a mix of strength training for hypertrophy, HIIT for metabolic health, and corrective exercises for postural alignment.
The Average Walking Stride Length
Walking is a convenient and effective fitness activity that most people can participate in. Although more advanced pedometers calculate distance, the basic devices only provide total steps. If you know a person's average stride length, you can convert steps into approximate distance.
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Deadlift Machine vs. Deadlift Barbell
Whether done with a barbell or on a machine, deadlifts are a multi-joint exercise, making them more effective for strength training and calorie burning than exercises that isolate one muscle.
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How Can I Do Leg Extensions Using Free Weights?
If you don't have access to a leg extension machine, replicate the exercise at home with dumbbells.
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Squat Thrust vs. Burpee
Although the terms squat thrust and burpee often are used interchangeably, they do not refer to the same exercise: They are variations of the same exercise. Both movements incorporate aerobic training and strength training into one sequence, working your cardiovascular system, legs and upper body.
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Which Is Better, Deadlifts or Power Cleans?
Neither the deadlift nor the power clean have inherent qualities that make one exercise better than the other. You may choose to incorporate one, both or neither exercise into your workout routine.
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Biceps Curls That Won't Cause Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a painful condition that can occur in any joint, but it is most common in your shoulders, elbows, wrists and heels. It is the inflammation and irritation of a tendon -- a fibrous structure that attaches muscle to bone. Biceps curls may be a risk factor for developing tendonitis in your elbow.
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Is It Better to Work the Back With Biceps or Triceps?
Split training refers to working out different parts of your body at each session, instead of training your entire body at every workout. For example, you can work out your upper body one day and your lower body another day. Some splits break the body down further.
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Leg Exercises for the Quadriceps With Resistance Bands
Barbell squats, machine leg presses, dumbbell lunges and their dozens of variations make up the crux of most effective quadriceps fitness routines. But what if you donβt have access to free weights or machines? Resistance bands, flat lengths of rubber elastic material, offer an affordable, convenient alternative.
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How to Keep From Swinging When Doing Pull-Ups
A pull-up performed without any swinging is called a dead-hang pull-up. Proponents of dead-hang pull-ups consider swinging to be a style of cheating -- swinging allows you to use momentum to help yourself up.
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An Alternative Exercise for Barbell Upright Rows
The barbell upright row primarily targets the front and side shoulder muscles, but it also works the biceps, rotator cuff muscles, and the lower and middle traps. Although an effective strength-training exercise, the barbell upright row is not the best option for some.
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How to Do an Incline Dumbbell Bench Press Without a Bench
The incline dumbbell bench press targets your upper chest -- the clavicular head of the pectoralis muscle -- more than a flat bench press does. To do the incline press, you need a piece of equipment that allows you to set your torso at an incline.
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Flat Footed vs. On Balls of Your Feet Bodyweight Squats
The body weight squat is an effective lower body exercise that targets your hamstrings, quadriceps and gluteus muscles. However, if you perform the squat with incorrect form, you can place undue stress on your lower back or knees.
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What Muscles Does the Rotary Torso Exercise Machine Work?
The rotary torso machine, also called a torso rotation machine, targets the muscles of your core. However, if you use improper form or don't control the motion, the rotary torso machine loses its effectiveness.
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Does the Ab Wheel Work the Obliques?
The ab wheel is a simple abdominal device; a wheel with a handle that extends through the center of the wheel. With the ab wheel, you can do the ab roll out exercise, which is an advanced abdominal movement. The ab wheel targets all your abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and the obliques.
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Bodyweight Squats Vs. Dumbbell Squats
Squats are a functional lower-body strength exercise. They simulate everyday activities, such as picking a box up off the floor. The body weight squat is the most basic, beginner squat; you only use your body weight for resistance.
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The Dos & Don'ts of Standing Dumbbell Front Raises
Standing dumbbell front raises work your deltoid, or shoulder, muscles. If you do this basic, single-joint exercise with improper form, you increase your risk of shoulder impingement, which is a painful condition of the shoulder joint.
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Round vs. Hex Dumbbells
Hex and round dumbbells are fixed-weight dumbbells for use in commercial and in-home gyms. Both types of dumbbell are made of cast iron and offer a large selection of weights. However, hex and round dumbbells have different designs and features, each with advantages and disadvantages in the weight room.
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Towel Pullups for Thick Forearms
Towel pullups are more difficult than standard pullups because you have to grip a towel to do the exercise. This works your forearm muscles, which are your gripping muscles, making them stronger and thicker. Use different types of towels to make it more or less difficult to hold on during a pullup.
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The Muscles Involved With Flexion of the Elbow Joint
When asked to flex a muscle, you'll most likely flex your biceps by bending your elbow. Although the biceps muscle is involved with flexion of the elbow, contrary to popular belief, it's not always the most active elbow flexor.
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