Precautions to be Followed while Using Treadmill

A lot of people think that treadmill safety is just about common sense. This is true to a certain degree, but since treadmills have moving belts, it is still critical that you learn about some safety tips before you start working out on this equipment. Here are some precautions that you need to follow when using a treadmill: 

1. Before you begin with your exercise, stand with each of your foot on the sides of the rails and straddle the deck. Carefully step onto the moving belt. Steady your balance first by keeping hold of one of the rails before you begin putting in the settings and program that you desire. 

2. Press the emergency stop button in order to stop or pause the machine. This will immediately halt the operation of the treadmill if you ever feel that the belt is moving too fast for your ability, or for any other reason.

3. Do not just jump off the machine if you want to do short tasks such as changing the channel or answering the phone. This will compromise your safety. Instead of doing this and leaving the belt running, just press the pause button and continue with your workout once you are ready. 

4. Just look straight or keep your eyes on the console display while using the treadmill. Avoid watching your feet because it may cause you to lose your sense of position. 

5. It’s alright to hold on to the side or the front of the handrails if you need to catch your balance. But as much as possible, freely swing your arms. If the reason why you hold on to the rails is that you are scared of falling off due to the fast movement of the belt, then perhaps you should decrease the speed.

6. Wear running shoes when working out on a treadmill. Don’t do it barefoot or wearing slippers. 

Different Kinds of Gym Flooring

Gym flooring comes in various kinds, each of them with their own benefits. If you are planning to build a commercial gym or even a home gym, here are the best types of flooring that you can choose from:

1. Carpet Tiles

Carpet is relatively inexpensive, all-purpose, and pretty easy to maintain and clean. It’s also an excellent flooring solution for gyms. Low pile carpet, which is a bit coarser in texture, is best utilized in exercise areas. Interlocking carpet tiles are also great options as they can be easily installed by a single person. 

2. Rubber Flooring

Rubber flooring can be bought in tiles or rolls, and they can be found in a wide range of color options and thicknesses. Their pricing also varies greatly. Note that this type of flooring can be heavy, so if you’re planning to use it for your home gym and you’re going to install it on our own, it’s advisable that you go for rubber tile flooring instead of the rolled version.

3. Foam Flooring

Most foam flooring solutions are available in the form of mats and interlocking tiles usually referred to as foam tiles, soft tiles, or puzzle lock tiles. Installation often takes just a few minutes. Foam is inexpensive, easy to maintain and clean, and provides a soft and comfortable flooring solution. It’s ideal for your home gym if you do a lot of stretching and sit-ups. 

4. Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl tiles are durable and flexible—characteristics that make them versatile as flooring solutions. Vinyl floor tiles also interlock together, which means that they are easy to install. They’re available in various colors and actually feel like rubber. Cleaning these tiles is fairly easy; mopping or sweeping will do. It’s also resistant to the growth of mildew and mold.

When buying gym flooring, it is recommended that you check samples first before you make your purchase. 

3 Reasons Why You Need a Smith Machine in Your Home Gym

Gyms and gym equipment have evolved significantly over the last couple of decades, but some of the most well-designed systems have remained the same for the simple reason that they work—period. Take the Smith Machine, for instance. This weight training machine has been proven effective and valuable in terms of helping individuals get full-body workouts and gain muscle. Apart from building muscles, a Smith Machine can also help you tone up, burn fat, build strength, and workout your entire body. Here are the top reasons why you should consider buying a Smith machine for your home gym:

1. You’ll get full-body workouts

A smith machine is essentially an all-in-one machine that lets you do military presses to work out your shoulders, squats to tone your legs, drag curls to define your biceps, bench presses for your chest, and many other exercises. This type of equipment is especially ideal if you don’t have that much space for a home gym since you can do various workouts with it. 

2. It’s excellent for strength-building

Another great thing about Smith machines is that they are designed to help balance out the weight. This allows you to conserve energy and hence generate all of your power through training the muscles. A Smith machine will let you overload the bar and push heavy weight in a controlled and safe environment. 

3. It will give you peace of mind

A Smith machine will help you focus on working out, and it will also ensure you that your workouts are productive and effective. With a Smith machine, you’ll no longer need a spotter to help you during lifting because it’s enough to prevent the bar from dropping on you. If you find it hard to completely lock your elbows as you bench press, for instance, you just have to rack the bar and lock it into place.