Free Weeks of Fitness: Day 1

Happy New Year’s, Readers!

We hope your celebration was both safe and happy and that 2011 finds you in the comfort of family and friends. We’re incredibly excited about the year to come – and more than ready to get it GOING!

This is the time of year when “gym” becomes the most searched-for term on Google. But taking on a healthy resolution doesn’t have to mean sharing equipment with strangers or driving in the cold to the gym – there’s another way!

This year, Hayneedle is taking fitness seriously. We have an enormous selection all of the fitness and home gym equipment you could possibly need to get your 2011 body into the shape you want. We’re celebrating our commitment to your commitment with a new Hayneedle Blog Giveaway Event, starting today!

Get ready for fitness advice from real experts, equipment product features, and HUGE weekly giveaways that’ll make you sweat. All of this is starting. Right. Now.

To kick things off we’ve asked our friend Mike Hahn, a personal trainer and physical therapy assistant, to offer up some tips before you start on your journey towards a more fit you.

Here are Mike’s 10 tips:

1. Eat a well balanced diet and drink lots of water (8-10 glasses a day)
2. Eat a small meal or snack a half hour before your workout to kickstart your energy and metabolism
3. Before any workout do a 5 minute warm up on a bike, treadmill, or elliptical then stretch
4. Don’t workout areas of the body days in a row (Ex. if you do an ab workout today don’t do one tomorrow), your muscles need time to recover
5. Don’t speed through your weightlifting exercises. Count to five to complete one rep.
6. Create a workout plan that matches your lifestyle. The best part of a home gym is that you can break up your routine if you can’t do a workout all at one time.
7. Set achievable goals and reward yourself. Once clients and I create a goal, I often suggest they treat themselves once it’s reached. You know, like that pair of shoes you’ve been eyeballing…
8. Talk with your doctor before setting up a plan. When planning to make a drastic change to your lifestyle, you should always consult your doctor. You want to make sure you know your limits or what you’re capable of doing. It will also give you real benchmarks to work towards versus creating unrealistic goals.
9. Find a friend or family member to help keep you on track. This can be a workout buddy or just someone who helps keep you motivated.
10. Always use good posture when lifting weights. It’s easy to injure yourself if you don’t watch your form. Make sure you look online or talk with a personal trainer to ensure you are doing the exercises properly.

Those are my ten tips for starting a workout plan. I hope this helps you all get in the mode to kick of the new year in a healthy way. Today’s featured exercise equipment will help you tone your back and shoulders. Be mindful when you are lifting to tone your shoulders, as these muscles are actually quite delicate.  Start off slow, and at a weight you can manage, and you will see results quickly.

Today’s item is the Body-Solid Best Fitness Sportsmans Gym. Follow the link, check out the item, and hit the Facebook “Like” button -  you’re on your way to be entered to be 1 of 3 weekly winners of a $100 Hayneedle Gift Certificate (be sure to like all items for the week through Sunday to be entered). Stick with us through all Free Weeks of Fitness (19 articles and products), and you’ll be entered to win a $5,000 shopping spree to outfit your some gym. Get all the details here.