The Best Fitness Gadgets, Gifts

(CARLSBAD, CA) - Whether you’re looking for the perfect fitness gift or gearing up for your own New Year’s resolution to get into shape, there are great gadgets and accessories available to achieve good health. Treat yourself and the people on your gift list to the following goodies:

— Heart rate monitors. Cardio is still king if you want to strengthen your heart and lungs and burn lots of calories. To get the most from your aerobic training you need to raise your heart rate into a training zone, and heart rate monitors let you know if you’re exercising at the right intensity. Heart rate monitors can be found at most sporting goods, cycling and running stores.

— Pedometers. Perhaps you’ve heard of the 10,000-step campaign encouraging people to walk more throughout the day. A pedometer is a great tool to measure your movement and motivate you to increase your activity level. In a study of 400 women ages 19 to 71 who used pedometers for eight weeks, nearly 50 percent reported losing weight. Those who set daily step goals also improved their muscle tone and reported a decrease in stress.

— Resistance bands/dumbbells. Portable resistance equipment is great for improving muscle strength and tone and can be used anytime, anywhere. Bands and dumbbells can be used for traditional resistance exercises (e.g. biceps curls) or during Pilates and yoga exercises for an extra challenge. Check out the latest exercise videos for great ideas on how to incorporate this type of equipment into your workouts.

— Stability balls. Like bands and hand weights, stability balls have infiltrated yoga, Pilates and traditional aerobics classes. Studies show that exercises performed with a stability ball are more effective because you must engage your core, hip and leg muscles to stay balanced on the ball. Hence you activate more muscles and expend more energy than when you perform the same exercise without a ball. In addition to increasing strength and flexibility, exercising with a stability ball will improve balance, coordination, agility and mobility.

— Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Want to know much distance you’ve covered? How fast you’re moving? A GPS unit provides mileage, speed, pace, altitude, location and number of calories burned, so you know exactly how far you’ve gone and how hard you’re working. It is a great training tool for runners, cyclists, inline skaters, cross country skiers and hikers.

— Balance trainers. BOSU Balance Trainers, Reebok Core Boards, and balance blocks and discs are all designed to challenge the muscles that help you to maintain your balance. These tools can help improve an individual’s quality of life by strengthening muscles that are used to perform everyday tasks.

— Personal training sessions. If you’re looking to begin an exercise program, fine tune your current training or come back from an injury, a few sessions with a personal trainer is a terrific investment. In addition to assessing your current fitness level, a personal trainer will design a program that helps you reach your specific goals.

— Safety gear. Skateboards, bikes, skates and scooters are popular gifts for children and adults, but don’t forget to include the proper safety equipment.  Kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards are a must for skaters, and everyone on wheels should wear a helmet.  When purchasing a helmet, check for a good fit and make sure your child knows how to wear it properly. 

No matter what exercise activity you choose to do, a calf/Achilles tendon stretch should be part of your cool down.  Try the following lunge to lengthen the calf muscles.  It is appropriate for children and adults alike.

Stand with your feet hip width apart, and your knees and toes pointing forward.  Slide your left leg back into a deep lunge, keeping both knees and toes pointed forward.  Lean your entire body forward, creating a straight line from your head to your back heel.  Place your hands on your right thigh for support, and hold the stretch for at least 15 to 20 seconds, breathing naturally. Switch sides, sliding your right leg back into a deep lunge to stretch your right calf.  Repeat as desired. 

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 20,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call 1(800) FIT-IS-IT or (760) 476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com