Category: Fitness and Sports

Elliptical Cross Trainers: The Benefits You Ought to Know

  • Christinia Jones
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  • March 11, 2019

    • Almost every other gym that I visit always features elliptical cross trainers in their arsenal of equipment. Unfortunately, I also observe that very few gym goers actually use these machines. Many use rowers, exercise bikes, and treadmills. But very few ever use elliptical trainers. It would seem that they fail to recognise the many benefits […]

    Almost every other gym that I visit always features elliptical cross trainers in their arsenal of equipment. Unfortunately, I also observe that very few gym goers actually use these machines.

    Many use rowers, exercise bikes, and treadmills. But very few ever use elliptical trainers. It would seem that they fail to recognise the many benefits of exercising on such an equipment.

    You can read Australian elliptical cross trainers reviews to learn more about these fascinating machines. In the meantime, allow me to share with you some of the many reasons why everyone should exercise on elliptical cross trainers.

    Cross Trainers Strengthen the Heart

    It is easy to imagine how an elliptical cross trainer can help strengthen the heart. The movements on this machine mimic the movements of climbing stairs, walking, and running.

    These physical activities are excellent aerobic exercises. They increase your heart rate to help deliver much-needed oxygen to the different muscle groups. Chronic increases in heart rate will trigger a compensatory mechanism in the heart.

    Over time, the heart will pump blood with greater force. This increase in the contractile power of the heart will lead to a reduction in heart rate. Don’t believe me? Try getting the heart rate of marathoners. Their heart rates will be almost the same as ours in our resting state.

    This is because their hearts have already adapted to the increase in metabolic demand. This means their heart is now more efficient in pumping blood throughout the body.

    Works Out the Whole Body

    When you exercise on a treadmill, you are only working out your legs. The same is true if you’re on the exercise bike. You don’t get to work out your arms as well as the muscles of the torso.

    When you exercise on the elliptical cross trainer, your feet are pushing on the pedals. Your hands are also moving the handlebars forward and backward.

    The muscles of your torso will also be contracting and relaxing to compensate for the movements in your arms and legs.

    In short, elliptical cross trainers make sure you get a full-body workout. It is not only your lower body that you get to exercise. You also get to exercise your shoulders, arms, and upper back.

    This can have substantial implications for those whose work and depend on upper body strength.

    It is Gentle on the Joints

    I don’t have arthritis, but I sure can understand the apprehension of some individuals using the treadmill. Since it simulates running, the impact of the foot on the treadmill belt can reverberate through the entire length of the leg bone.

    This, unfortunately, reaches the joint capsule of the knees and can cause pain. The same is true with walking, although the impact forces are less intense than in running.

    Exercising on the elliptical cross trainer doesn’t involve the generation of vibrations to the knees and other joints. It also doesn’t involve the transmission of impact forces to these joints.

    In other words, a person with arthritis or any other musculoskeletal problem should have no issues exercising on the cross trainer at all.

    Can Help in Burning Fat

    This is one of the best reasons why I recommend elliptical cross trainers to my friends. I am very much aware of the on-going clamour to achieve a more ideal body weight.

    And looking at Australians now, I think it’s about time we start shedding off some weight.

    Did you know that you can burn as much as 400 calories exercising on the cross trainer for only 30 minutes? If you push it to a full hour, you could very well be burning up to 800 calories.

    If you make elliptical cross trainers as a part of your weekly fitness regimen, you can burn up to 2,400 calories per week. This is provided you exercise 3 times a week, of course.

    There’s another reason why elliptical trainers are great for individuals who want to lose weight. Very few people know that elliptical cross trainers are very easy to use. This gives users the feeling that they are not exerting enough.

    The reality, of course, is that they are working every bit of muscle in their bodies. This makes exercising on elliptical trainers more fun and more enjoyable. This is crucial since you also want weight-loss exercises to be fun.

    There are many reasons why people should start using elliptical cross trainers. These are very friendly to the joints and they work out the whole body, too. They are also the perfect companions for other weight-loss efforts. Don’t you think it’s about time you try it, too?

    5 Reasons for Kids to Play Indoor Cricket During Summer

  • Christinia Jones
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  • December 7, 2018

    • Playing sports is a fun and engaging activity. Unfortunately, as reality dictates, not all sports can be played all throughout the different seasons. During winter, when the environment’s too cold and the field’s covered with ice, playing soccer for instance may cause unwanted injuries. More so during summer when the scorching heat of the sun […]

    Playing sports is a fun and engaging activity. Unfortunately, as reality dictates, not all sports can be played all throughout the different seasons. During winter, when the environment’s too cold and the field’s covered with ice, playing soccer for instance may cause unwanted injuries. More so during summer when the scorching heat of the sun is too hot to handle; children may experience fainting spells or dehydration. As a sports lover myself and an advocate of healthy lifestyle for kids regardless what season, I highly recommend indoor cricket during summer. Here are the reasons why:

    Moderately Intense

    Competitive sports can become very rough and intense, consuming too much energy from the players. During summer, the heat and humidity can still be unbearable even during late afternoon. I personally believe that under such conditions a child needs a game with just the right level of intensity to get their muscles moving without causing any health damage, and indoor cricket offers exactly the same. Batting flexes the arm muscles and stances improve balance. A player also performs sprints during an indoor cricket game, thus still creating that adrenaline rush every child craves for almost every other day. It still provides an avenue to release their stored energy. Since the game is played indoors, parents are assured that no heat stroke or sunburn harms their child.

    Improves Coordination

    During the children’s formative years, among the essential physical milestones to achieve is good balance and coordination. Cricket is played by hitting a ball and thereafter running all throughout different stations to score. In the process, a player needs to dash one second, hold his stand the next second, very briefly after striking a ball with a bat – a task that also requires good coordination and balance. Once you expose your child to indoor cricket regularly, you’ll see his posture and foot stance significantly improved as a consequence.

    Enhances Posture

    Relatedly, playing indoor sports helps correct postural problems, except those that are truly serious and involve medical intervention. A perfect arm swing is only achieved by perfecting a good striking position. If you slouch too much, your range of motion may be altered. The same is true when your body’s too stiff or arched. Get your child into indoor cricket and in time you’ll notice no slouching incidents.

    Burns Fats

    Summer exudes an air of festivity, liberation, and relaxation. During breaks, kids go to camps, swim, eat their hearts out, and possibly even sleep longer. The point is, gaining weight during the summer is a big possibility, if not a common occurrence, and parents need to watch out for this. I would say that the tendency to get rounder during summer is especially high for girls since unlike their opposite sex, they may not be naturally inclined to outdoor activities or other physical pursuits. I’ve been in the very same place myself and trust me, getting into an indoor cricket game helps manage my weight especially during the lazy days of summer. It does not get you super exhausted, but the stunts are enough to burn excess fats, tone muscles, and increase endurance. Most importantly, compared to outdoor field games, an indoor cricket game has less exposure to injuries, like abrasions, lacerations, piercing, etc because the court surface is rather smooth, polished, and environment’s more controlled. This surely is a top consideration for girls.

    Sharpens Mental Acuity

    Sports are rarely seen as mental exercises. But in my experience, any sport is equally mentally challenging just as it is physically demanding. For one, playing indoor cricket in the summer back during childhood days enabled me to think quickly and respond appropriately. It simulates a math or physics problem in a practical world. No one is capable of knowing exactly where the ball would land. You can perhaps consider its projectile motion all the while, and if it reaches a certain spot, you are to decide on a winning strategy within just a split second. Unlike other sports with too many required playing members, your interaction with the bat, ball, and the bases is quite high, thus truly practicing your individual skill set. Your moves are more visible to the watching public, so you’re better able to practice grace under pressure at an early age.

    Given all these and more, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get your child to engage in indoor cricket, especially during summer.