Piyo Workout Calendar

The use of fitness accessories to expand and enhance your cardiovascular and strength routines have never been more popular than they are today as is obvious by the number of equipment manufacturers that are getting into the fitness accessory game. Life Fitness, one of the major cardiovascular equipment manufacturers, is set to roll out Body Shape Kits this fall, which combine many of the most , into one all inclusive kit. Octane Fitness will combine an elliptical workout with stretch bands in the programming and design of their new ellipticals to be introduced later this Fall, to create circuit training workouts that add strength training to the traditional cardio workout.

Accessories can be used in all aspects of your workout routine, but probably the fastest growing area for the use of accessories is Core Strength Training. Core training provides strength conditioning exercises to support how you move, work and play every day. Core training utilizes functional movement patterns for a complete fitness program addressing movement efficiency, balance, flexibility, strength, coordination, speed, power and endurance.

The core, or trunk of your body is your center of gravity. Strong core muscles (abdominal, back and pelvis) and core stability, provide the basis for postural health, reducing the incidence of back pain and lower extremity injury. Many professional sports teams now include core strength training as a part of their workout as they have discovered that a strong core can enhance athletic performance.

Many different accessories can be used in this type of training. Items such as , , and , along with the more traditional and can be used for core training. are also used to stretch and strengthen the back muscles. There are also many available to assist with instruction on how to use these accessories.

is another new concept in strength training that is expanding the category of fitness accessories. Suspension training harnesses your own bodyweight to create resistance as you train. It also builds core strength with every exercise by creating an element of instability that calls on your core to provide balance and coordination.

The beauty of suspension training is that you can’t help but steady yourself with your core when using the suspension straps. Critics warn that the instability of the straps can result in injury, especially if there is a history of back injury, so caution when starting this type of program is recommended.

Interest in suspension training is also high because the idea of functional training has been making slow steady inroads in the fitness business. Functional training advocates training muscles synergistically, rather than isolating muscles one at a time. This has much more practical application to real life, where we use muscles in combination with other muscle to complete daily tasks such as running a vacuum cleaner or lifting a suitcase into an overhead compartment on a plane. The , along with other suspension “gadgets” are now being used for suspension training along with other more elaborate systems such as the VFXT Strength System by Vectra Fitness.

As you can see, the variety and application of the fitness accessory category continues to expand but the options can be as confusing as knowing how to use the accessories once you have them home!

HealthStyles Exercise Equipment carries a broad range of and at all and our fitness consultants are available to help you know what accessories and equipment can help you meet your specific fitness goals, and they can help demonstrate the proper use of the accessories right in the store.

• Individual Hand Weights
• Weighted Vests

Stop by your  Showroom today to shop for the equipment or accessory that will expand and add variety to your workout!