OK as promised here is the first in a series of exercises I will be posting that can be done using the Om Gym. One of the things that makes the Omgym such a great piece of fitness equipment is that despite its simple design there are a huge number of exercises that can be done with it and they range from the fairly simple to very advanced. So we are going to start with a simple one ( always a good idea when learning to use a new piece of equipment ).

Today’s exercise is a basic back stretch. We will not need the center piece or “hammock” attached as we will simply be using the two medium level handle grips. 

To perform this stretch grab the two mid level handle grips place your feet on the floor against the door jams to brace yourself and lean back as far as you can while supporting your weight with the hand grips. You can experiment with shifting your weight from side to side to get a more focused stretch or just hang loose and centered.

This exercise is best done with the Om Gym attached in a doorway because this allows you to brace your feet against something.

Enjoy.

Posted under Exercise Equipment, Health, OmGym, inversion

Drinking water is such a simple thing to do and yet it has such a profound effect on our health in so many ways. Just to list a few, water can help prevent heartburn, arthritis, back pain, angina, headaches,  migraines, Asthma, high blood pressure, colitis,  and even diabetes. Unfortunately most of us walk around most of the time in a state of semi dehydration and we aren’t even aware of it. Part of the reason for this is the thrust is not a reliable indicator or when we need to drink. In fact if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated! The Mayo Clinic has some excellent information on the importance of water and also provides some simple tips on determining how much water you should be drinking.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Posted under Health, Water Filters

Working out is physically addictive in fact research has shown that if you stick with a workout program for six months it is likely to become a positive habit that will follow you for the rest of your life. But the challenge for many of us is getting through the first six days let alone the first six months! Well here is a list of things you can do to stack the deck in your favor so to speak.

• Set realistic specific goals that motivate you. A common mistake for people new to working out is to set unrealistic goals. Let’s face it if you have been a couch potato all your life it is going to take more than couple of weeks at the gym to get you looking like the guy on the cover of the men’s health magazine. A good rule of thumb is to give yourself 1 week for every 2lb of weight you want to lose.
• Make your workouts enjoyable.  This is a big one and can mean the difference between success and failure. Just remember you will burn just as many calories jogging along a beautiful trail with a friend as you will on the treadmill at your local gym. Be creative and find workout activities you enjoy.   
• Track your progress Anything you can do to track your progress and give you feed back will help to reinforce that your workouts are actually working! It can be as simple as weighing yourself once a week and marking it on a calendar. Or as high tech as buying a heart rate monitor and electronicly tracking your resting heart rate VO2 and other vitals.  
• Find a workout partner Finding someone to workout with will not only make your workouts more enjoyable, you can also help motivate each other. Some days you are bound  feel more pumped  than others to get to the gym but a good workout partner will help provide that extra push when you need it.
• Listen to music It’s amazing how something as simple as putting on your favorite workout mix can transform an otherwise boring 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer.
• Workout first thing in the morning By working out first thing when you wake up you get it out of the way. Working out early also jumpstarts your metabolism and helps you to feel more alert throughout the day.
• Go everyday Working out every day is actually psychologically easier then only going say 3 days a week. When you go everyday there will be no mentally struggle whether or not you should skip a day and make it up on one of your days off.   
• Blackmail yourself  If all else fails it’s here’s a way to get some real leverage on yourself. Write a check equal to one month’s paycheck and give it to one of your friend. Tell them that you will contact them once a day to report that you successfully made it to the gym but that if you miss a day they are to cash the check and spend the money one whatever they like.

Posted under Health, Other