Around twenty percent of all those people whom have back troubles and undergo a surgical process will have no relief and the remaining eighty percent will continue to have problems ranging from moderate to severe. Inversion tables don't offer some supernatural remedy but, they can assist you in relieving the pain you are in now if you will devote to establishing a stronger spine and better posture. These tables in particular have been used since around 400 B.C., when Hippocrates, the forefather of medicine, first noted a patient having his knees bound and ankles tied to a ladder to be lifted upside down for a dose of what's come to be known as spinal traction. Obviously these Grecian theories still live on today but there is a much simpler way of going about all of this and it still will have the same outcome which allow you to remedy your back pain! By applying these inversion tables you are utilizing a sort of therapeutic process called Inversion Therapy and it can be one of the most natural and efficient ways to getting a better back and a better body.

I know it sounds a little strange at first but there really is verified test studies behind the inversion tables and Inversion Therapy. For example, did you know that by inverting yourself to as little as 25 degrees for even just few moments that it can really help decompress your muscular tissue and speed the flow of lymphatic fluids which flush out the body's wastes and carry them to the blood stream? Amazing! The faster this waste is cleared, and stimulating supplies of oxygen are introduced, the faster rigor and pain in the muscles can disappear. An actual study imparted by physiotherapist L.J. Nosse established that EMG (electromyographic) activity, an indicator of muscle pain, declined over 35% within ten seconds of assuming the inverted positioning!

Try some of these inverted therapy tables that are available online. All of these tables have received high reviews amongst the consumers:

Inversion Table System with Assist Handles -
The Stamina Inversion System Table with Return Assist Handles make inversion easier and safer. The half-circle padded assist handles are easy to grasp and allow you to leverage your weight to make inversion transitions smoother.

Deluxe Seated Core Training Inversion System -
The Core Training Inversion System is an inversion chair instead of a table, so you get the benefits of inversion therapy much less stress on your knees, hips, and ankles. The Seated Core Training Inversion System has four inversion position that lock with a hand lever. The hand lever also lets you easily change your inversion angle.

Seated Inversion Core Training System -
The Seated Inversion Core Training System gives you the benefits of inversion therapy with less stress on the hips, knees, and ankles than with flat inversion tables. Inversion therapy is a natural & non-invasive method of using gravity for treating back pain Use of inversion tables such as the Seated Inversion System is endorsed and recommended by doctors to strengthen your back and elongate your spine to relieve pressure on discs, nerve roots, and ligaments.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristi_Ambrose

For exercising at home,I would say that your best bet with limited space and money is The Firm Wave. This is fairly new on the market, and is produced by The Firm, a U.S. based company with a good reputation for innovative weight loss products and inspirational DVDs.

The Firm Wave Personal Gym is a curved piece of equipment that can be picked up with one hand and is made of a strong plastic. It is shaped like a hump-backed bridge and has holes along the edges that resistance bands can be fitted into. What makes it so innovative is that it can be used either side up, and can be stood on, sat on or laid on to get a full-body, calorie-burning, muscle toning workout in a small space and at a fraction of the cost of other home exercise kits!

Any exercise professional will tell you that, for the most weight loss and the best body shaping, every workout that you do has to include the following:-

Cardiovascular exercise

Sounds complicated, but means only that you move your body in a way that makes you warm and slightly breathless - think brisk walking, jogging, swimming and cycling. This activity burns calories and strengthens your heart and lungs. Doing cardio exercise indoors can be a challenge, especially in a small space - a treadmill is good, but probably won't fit in your understairs closet!

The Firm Wave allows you to do your cardio exercise in 2 ways; curved side down, you stand on the sides and push through your legs to rock the board - a bit like a seesaw. It also challenges your balance, making you use more muscles and burning more calories. "Surfing" on the Wave will burn as many calories as jogging - and it's fun! Not only that, turn the Wave curve side up and you have a stable platform for "Step" exercises - any gym will tell you how good Step is for weight loss, and it's safer than running up and down stairs.

Resistance Exercises

An essential part of any weight-loss program, resistance exercise means just that - working your muscles against a resistance to make them stronger. Every time you get up out of a chair or lift shopping out of the car, you are building and strengthening your muscles. And the more toned and strong your muscles become, the more calories you burn - even when you are not exercising. Muscles need calories 24/7, so stored fat is used up to maintain them. Which means you lose weight even while you are asleep or watching TV!

This is where the holes built into The Firm Wave come in useful - they are designed so that you can fit elastic resistance bands through, enabling you to perform all sorts of muscle-toning exercises. Resistance bands cost only a few dollars, and most big stores sell them.

Carol J Bartram is a qualified Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor. She has evaluated many different pieces of exercise equipment and has the following to say about the Wave.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_Bartram

There's a new breed of fitness machine on the market - the incline trainer. These machines are a cross between a regular treadmill and a stair climber.

You can usually walk on a flat plane as you would a treadmill, but you can also choose to walk at very high inclines - up to 40% in some cases. The benefit is that you burn calories and get results very fast.

For example, you can burn 3X more calories walking on a 25% incline that you would on a flat incline. And you can burn 5X the calories walking on a 40% incline as compared to flat plain treadmill walking.

There are several different types of incline trainers on the market. The most popular are the Bowflex Treadclimbers and the NordicTrack Incline X3 Trainer.

Each has it's own strengths and weaknesses. This article will outline the general strengths and weaknesses of incline home trainers as a whole so you can decide if it's the right choice for you.

Strengths:

1) Burn Up To 5X the Calories in a Single Workout

The main benefit to incline walking is that you can burn up to 5X more calories vs walking on a flat surface. Incline walking forces the larger muscles in your legs through a greater range of motion.

Because of this, you also tone and tighten up faster than you would on a regular treadmill. This also makes the incline treadmill ideal for those who don't have a lot of time to workout. You can still get your exercise in, but don't have to log hours in the gym.

2) Get the Benefits of Running Without the Stress On Your Body

With an incline workout, you can burn just as much, if not more calories than you do running. You also get similar lower body toning effects. All this without the strain and toll that running takes on your body.

3) More Compact Than A Treadmill

On the whole, these machines are more compact than treadmills and take up less space. One reason is that the belts tend to be smaller (because they aren't built to be used for running). This is handy if you're short on space or need a compact machine for your home gym.

4) Lower Impact Workouts

These machines are also lower impact than traditional treadmills. Because you don't have the pounding impact from running, they can be easier on the knees and less stressful on the joints as a whole.

5) Advanced Workout Technology

Incline trainers offer some new console technology you won't find on standard treadmills - and they're getting better every year. For example you can get 3D console graphics and even stereo systems built into some incline units.

Weaknesses:

While it is possible to run on some models for the most part, it's not recommended. You really can't run at all on a Treadclimber (they have short belts and only up to 4.5 MPH speed limits). And the NordicTrack Incline trainer has a shorter belt size (51") that might be ok for shorter runners but not for anyone over 5'8".

If you're a runner, you should probably consider a mid-priced to high end treadmill with excellent cushioning and a strong deck, instead of an incline home trainer.

Also, for the new exerciser, this kind of machine might be a bit much to start out with. Walking on a 25% incline burns a lot of calories - but if you don't have much workout experience you'll definitely be feeling it the next day.

Conclusion:

Incline trainers offer some great benefits like fast calorie burning and quick toning - which can get you to your weight loss goals faster. You also get the benefits of running, without the toll it takes on your joints. They're also more compact than treadmills and can give you lower impact workouts.

Keep in mind however that these machines are probably not the best choice for runners and may be a bit too much for the exercise newbie. Overall though, if you're looking for something beyond the traditional treadmill workout that gives you fast results in less time, an incline trainer may be perfect for you.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_ONeill