A lot of people who work spend at least 7 hours sitting down. If you’re part of this population, then you know how it feels to have an aching butt and lower back because all you do is sit and work on your computer.

If you want to live a healthy life, then this isn’t exactly helping. So what do you do?

Introducing the Under Desk Elliptical

Going to the gym is the most obvious answer to being healthy. Apart from having the proper diet, spending at least an hour in the gym is mandatory if you want to burn the calories or if you simply want to be stronger and fitter.

However, most of us have an 8-hour job. If you work in Sydney, you would also have to spend at least 30 minutes in traffic. Add all of these up and you won’t have time to go to the gym anymore.

But what you can do is make use of the time you have at work. You can maximize your work time in such a way that you burn calories while you work on your laptop. You can do this if you have an under desk elliptical.

An under desk elliptical is like a stationary bicycle except that it doesn’t come with a seat. It only has the pedals that go in an elliptical motion (hence the name).

It’s designed as such because pedals that go in a circular motion might cause your knees to hit the desk.

What to Look for in an Under Desk Elliptical

When I first found out about the under desk elliptical, I was immediately excited. Finally, I could exercise at work without causing a scene.

Just like that, I was already researching on what under desk elliptical to buy. To help you out, here are a few things that I considered to pick the perfect equipment for the office.

1. Noise

Since you’ll be using this at work, it’s a must that the under desk elliptical doesn’t make any noise. Imagine how distracting and annoying it would be if it made squeaking sounds.

The best way to find out if it makes any noise is to try it yourself. My suggestion is to assemble it at home and try exercising with it. If it makes a noise, then it’s either you have to put oil on the pedals or you just have to use it at home.

2. Height / Rotation

The height or the rotation of the pedals should always fit your desk. If your desk at work is low, then you have to look for rotations that are more elliptical than circular. In this way, you won’t be bumping the desk and your legs won’t have to adjust that much to the height.

3. Resistance

Then there’s resistance. Since the goal of having an under desk elliptical is to burn calories and to exercise your legs, it makes sense that it should have at least a little resistance. Having no resistance at all makes it useless because your muscles won’t exert any effort.

4. Price

And of course, you have the price. In my opinion, to know if your purchase was good you must almost always consider if it’s worth the price you are paying. For my case, the one I wanted was a little off the budget but that’s because its specs were perfect for what I needed.

Overall, I find under desk ellipticals very helpful. But if you’re just starting out on all the fitness and training, it would help if you have an under desk elliptical trainer to consider. At least your training will help you determine what kind of equipment you need that you can also use at work.

I can understand why there’s a growing number of Aussies who are looking at different treadmills to buy in Australia. Treadmills are wonderful machines. They are perfect for individuals who love to stay fit right in their homes. They no longer have to go outside to enjoy a good run.

But picking the right treadmill can be tricky. Since I am fortunate enough to have tried as many brands of treadmills in my own fitness journey, I am letting you in on a little secret of mine. Here are 5 questions you have to ask yourself before you buy a treadmill.

How Much is Your Budget?

Treadmills are very sophisticated exercise machines. They can cost you anywhere from a few hundreds of dollars to a few thousands of dollars. The good ones can cost you anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000.

These will have more robust construction, more powerful motors, and more advanced exercise programmes. This also means that the treadmill will last many years.

There are also in the mid-range, often between $700 and $1,000. These can still give you a good exercise platform. You may have to give up some of the extras like extensive exercise programmes, personal entertainment, and the like.

As much as possible, avoid getting cheap treadmills as you’ll never be sure of their quality. If you’re on a tight budget, then getting a second-hand mid-range or high-quality treadmill is a good choice.

How Much Space are You Willing to Sacrifice in Your Home?

Asking yourself this question will help you determine the dimensions of the treadmill you are going to buy. The machine you see in the store may look small. But when you put it in your house, you’d be surprised that it is bigger.

I always tell my friends to measure the area where they intend to place the treadmill in their homes. With this information, they can ask the sales representative for the dimensions of the treadmill to see if it “fits”.

You might also be interested in folding models. These can give you the advantage of storing the treadmill when not in use. This will let you use the space that it occupies for other purposes. It is also a good idea to look for treadmills with wheels. This can make it a lot easier to move around.

Will it Be Just for You or the Whole Family?

If you live alone, then that solves it. But if you happen to share your living space with someone else, it’s important to consider this, too. The reason for this is simple. You would want a treadmill with a maximum weight rating that can accommodate the heaviest individual in your house.

Suppose you weigh 120 kilogrammes and you have a family member who tips the scale at 200 kilogrammes. This means that the treadmill you have to buy should have a maximum weight rating of at least 220 kilogrammes.

This will also help address the issue of how much horsepower the treadmill motor has to have. In general, the more frequently the machine is used, the higher should be its horsepower. You can always go for a minimum of 2.5 continuous HP. 

How Do You Intend to Use It?

If you intend to use the treadmill mainly for running, then you should consider the maximum speed settings. At the very least, you should get one with a maximum speed setting of 16 KPH. It is also important to look for a treadmill with a belt that has a length of not less than 155 centimetres.

It may also be wise to get a treadmill that has an incline and decline feature. This will help you simulate outdoor running conditions.

If this is for walking or jogging, then you can pick one with a maximum speed setting of at least 10 KPH. The length of the belt should also be at least 120 centimetres.

Do You Need Extra Features?

Many people love keeping track of their fitness levels. There are now treadmills that come with heart rate monitoring systems. There are also those that have incline and decline features. Exercise programmes and custom options are all excellent features to have.

Some can also provide you with personal entertainment modules. Keep in mind, however, that the more extra features you seek, the higher is the price tag of the machine. Buying a treadmill that’s right for you can be tricky. These questions will help guide you to the right treadmill machine to buy.

There’s a lot you should understand if you’re considering trying out plyometrics. Plyometrics, or “jump training” are a chain electricity building exercises that need you to leap, hop, and skip your body into a state of toned fitness.

Although these work outs are exceptionally demanding and challenging, they’re also pleasing to do. People who participate in plyometrics get the advantage of building power and burning off fat for any kind of sports or athletic performance in a brief period of time.

When done frequently, about three times weekly, a plyo workout can shave inches of hips and one’s abdomen in just a couple of weeks. Take a look at these 10 helpful hints before starting your plyometric workouts.

10 Hints for Plyometric Work Outs

Brace Yourself: Plyometrics are intensive workouts that require lots of energy during one session while interesting. You might find yourself unable to recoup as fast as you’d like, should you jump in all at the same time. Make sure you rest between periods in order to allow your energy if that is your first time testing out a plyometric exercise. It’s also vital that you see the intensity level of these moves needs sufficient strength and fitness levels. People who are out of shape will have to work up to such a work out.

Do Your Research: Plyometric exercises rely on moves that are specific to be done right to be able to work. To ensure you’re getting the most from your fitness regimen, do a little research to make sure you are doing everything right. This may be simple things like reading posts or viewing videos to get an entire comprehension of appropriate form before doing them at the necessary speed and practice that form at a slow rate. If you’re dealing with a trainer, check with them about placing your position, and performance to ensure that you’re doing the exercises correctly.

Get the Right Tools: Having the right exercise equipment is always a bonus in regards to a work out. Luckily, plyometrics don’t require any additional stuff, so the sole tools you’ll need is a breathable kit that go with your body and could extend and in case you plan to do box jumps a plyometric carton.

Suitable Warm Ups And Cool Downs: Proper warm ups and cool cannot be over stressed enough. As you’ll be leaping, hopping, and using lots of energy, the warm up should contain proper preparatory exercises, including stretches that mimic the plyos which is utilized in the primary work out and some cardio moves to get the heart going, like jogging set up or a few jumping jacks. A proper cool down will contain flexibility stretches alongside a slow return to a pre-exercise state. Failing to extend can cause harm.

Use Hardy Surfaces: You need to be sure only tough surfaces are accustomed to help you in your routines while plyometrics could be done nearly everywhere. Low seats, measures, and low verandas will do while softer surfaces, such as, for instance, seat, a sofa, or maybe a floor-level bed ought to be prevented. Using these can lead to alternative issues, sprains, or harm. A strong surface will help in building up muscle strength and endurance thanks to the small resistance a surface that is hard offers.

Rest: Plyometrics must not be practiced daily. The work out program that is perfect will be a day of exercise, and then a day of rest to make sure that you do not overexert yourself. This work out is very demanding the deeper you go and the more you do it. For this reason, rest is extremely significant for keeping wellness and health. The explosive moves can cause muscles to over extend and even split to supply appropriate healing time for the muscles and if done too often, so a little leisure time is essential to a balanced work out week.