Exercise Equipment for Overweight People
Though exercise is beneficial for everyone, the overweight and obese may face special challenges due to their size. Some of the resistance equipment in commercial fitness clubs is close-fitting, which may not comfortably accommodate large bodies. For overweight individuals to receive the benefits of aerobic conditioning and strength training without unnecessary embarrassment requires thoughtful consideration and planning.
Choosing Your Exercise
There are three types of exercise, and each offers specific fitness benefits and challenges for the overweight exerciser: flexibility, aerobic conditioning and strength training. Consider your current health and any orthopedic concerns that may be affected by exercise. Consult with your physician regarding safe exercises for your body and before beginning a fitness program.
Equipment for Aerobic Conditioning
Aerobic conditioning strengthens the heart and circulatory system, burns calories and fat, and lowers blood pressure. Starting an exercise program with cardio is as easy as buying a pedometer and a good pair of supportive walking shoes. Walk through your neighborhood, at the track of a nearby school, or in a mall.
Fitness clubs offer commercial grade treadmills, stair climbing machines, and elliptical cross-trainers. Similar equipment can also be purchased for use at home. Elliptical trainers offer an impact-free workout easy on knees and back that work the upper and lower body. Confirm whether the equipment you wish to buy has been designed to accommodate heavier bodies before purchasing.
Resistance Training Equipment
Resistance (or weight) training strengthens the bones and maintains muscularity. Strength training can be effectively accomplished using just your own body weight performing push-ups, crunches, squats and lunges. Dumbbells are perfect for the overweight fitness enthusiast and can be used for a full body workout. Rubber exercise bands with handles in light, medium and heavy resistance can travel with you to work or on vacation and can be used for a large number of surprisingly challenging exercises. A burst-resistant exercise ball is a versatile tool that can be used as a weight bench, for core training and balance work. Several manufacturers are making burst resistant balls capable of supporting up to 600 lbs., such as FitBall and GymNic.
Swimming and Water Fitness
Utilize a home or public swimming pool for pool walking or running or a water aerobics class. The weightlessness and buoyancy of water alleviates stress on the joints, especially the knees and back. Many people think that a water workout is for old people and not challenging. Mary E. Sanders, professor of health ecology at the University of Nevada at Reno, has created many aquatic programs and says this is an erroneous assumption. Sanders has completed several studies that compared land-based exercise to aqua fitness. Her study results indicate that water workouts are as good or even better than those performed on land with regard to fat utilization, calorie burning, and improvements in endurance and cardiovascular efficiency. Add water dumbbells or noodles for additional resistance.
Fitness Books and Videos
A highly valuable tool in your fitness arsenal would be a subscription to NetFlix or Blockbuster. You can order and try out a variety of exercise DVDs without major expense, using them in the comfort of your own home. A wonderful book for overweight exercisers is "Great Shape: The First Fitness Guide for Large Women" by Pat Lyons and Debby Burgard. The Funcercise series is great for beginners, and resistance bands are included with the DVD.
Expert Insight
Exercise does not have to be exhausting to be effective and burn calories, nor does it require an extensive investment in equipment. Start slowly and exercise at least five days per week with the goal of exercising a minimum of 150 minutes per week (more is better). Even if your scale shows no appreciable loss in weight, your body is changing its composition as you build metabolically active muscle while losing fat.
