Kayaking. Water sports such as kayaking and canoeing are very good at exercising the muscles of the back, shoulders and arms. As well as providing most of the stability, the upper body is the driving force in the sport of kayaking and soon becomes very efficient with practice. The most attractive part of kayaking though has to be the ability to stop paddling and just bob about for a bit when you get fatigued. If you don’t like getting wet though, this might not be the sport for you.

Climbing. There are few sporting activities that demand effort from every single muscle within the body…rocking climbing is one that does. That said, your legs are not actually worked as much as you might think as a lot of the grip comes from special sticky slim line shoes that look like cycling shoes. Conversely, a lot of the power and endurance work is provided by the arms during climbing. Simply keeping yourself vertical on a climbing wall can be an effort and the muscles of the lower arm and shoulders will be toned in no time.

Hand Biking. More people ride bikes outside than take part in any other sporting activity. That said, its not the best sport in the world getting your arms in shape. Hand bikes however such as Pinarello Dogma ones are geared in such a way that you can pick up some great speed just by turning your arms. They also make a great mode of transport for people who do not have the use of their legs.

For bike accessories and road bikes, check out In Gear.

Four things you must include when you are thinking about how to build lean muscle

Muscle Confusion
One theory on building lean muscle mass is too start using heavier weights combined with less rest in between sets. You should limit the amount of rest in between sets to about 30 seconds; just enough time to allow your heart rate to decrease and the lactic acid build up in your muscles to also decrease. Keep your muscles confused by changing your rest times in between sets and they will respond by getting bigger. By confusing your muscles you don’t give them an opportunity to fully adapt and is also a great way to burn calories which will lead to a more ripped muscular physique.

Strength Training
There are a lot of reasons why people weight lift; strength, size and a leaner muscular appearance. This strength training routine must also include a fat burning program designed to bring out your muscular detail. Strength training begins by accepting the premise that you must workout the larger muscle groups. Working out these large muscle groups will help to build your overall core strength. The chest, back and legs are examples of large muscle groups which respond great by using compound exercises.
The increase in lean muscle mass will be felt long after the workout is done by including these compound strength building exercises, which help to bring about an anabolic response from within. It really is all about gaining strength and using a great strength training routine to bring you to the next level.

Cardio Training
If you neglect your cardio workout: ie: treadmill, walking, stationary bike etc you are missing out on the extra benefits that cardio training will add to your goals of building lean muscle mass. Cardio, although at times seems unnecessary, must be done to help our overall physical condition and give us the energy we need to fuel our workouts. It would be hard to see all that new lean muscle mass if it were hidden behind a layer of fat. Cardio training will help you lose that layer of fat just below the skin and make your muscles pop out. Begin your cardio training today!

Nutrition And Protein
Nutrition plays a major role in building lean muscle mass and eating the right foods will get you that much closer to reaching your goals. Protein is a major source of body building nutrition that must be consumed everyday and in the right amounts because your body can only assimilate a certain amount of protein at any one sitting. The rule of thumb is to take in approximately 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean muscle mass. Beginning weight lifters can use the older method of calculating protein intake by using one gram of protein per one pound of total body weight. Once you become more experienced then you will want to tweak your intake by consuming protein based on your lean muscle mass.

Keeping these four things in mind, muscle confusion, strength training, cardio and nutrition you will be well on your way to building a lean muscular body.

Start to build muscle mass today or keep complaining about how you look. It is up to you how you look and feel.

Things to Take into Consideration

• How much space is available in your home? Make sure you have enough space as home fitness gyms are bulky. You should also make sure that where you intend it to go has a firm floor.
• What is your budget? Prices of home gyms vary considerably, with cheap, basic gyms starting at around $500 and top of the range multi gyms retailing at around $5000.
• Are you going to choose a resistance system using cables, rods or weights or a free weight system?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Home Fitness Gyms

With a home gym you can, of course, work out in private in your own home, the gym is always available and you won’t have to wait until someone else finishes before you can do your training. Your home gym is ready to use whenever you need it and there won’t be any monthly club fees to pay. You should also take into account the disadvantages. Initially some home gyms can be very difficult to set up and they are going to take up a substantial space in your home. You know the machine is always available and it’s easy to put off exercising for another time. Staying motivated may be easier at a gym among other people!

Choosing a Home Fitness Gym

The most important consideration, in our opinion, is how well made the unit is. It is not a good idea to purchase a badly made gym that is not going to last or give you a good workout. You won’t save money this way in the long run. Look for a gym that is well made, preferable using 11 or 12 gauge steel tubing. Heavy duty steel tubing and welded joints, in preference to bolts, are found in the better quality gyms. If possible look for a gym with a long warranty. Some of the better quality, expensive home gyms have lifetime warranties but a minimum to look for is probably 3 years on upholstery and parts.

When you have identified a gym within your budget ensure that it is easy to adjust and use. You will want one that is easy to change from one exercise to another and also easy to change the resistance.If it takes too long or is too hard it is easy to allow this to put you off working out. A home fitness gym needs to be comfortable in use with well padded benches that are easy to keep clean. Convenience is not the only consideration here as you need seats and leg presses to be well padded to prevent injury and blisters.

Conclusion

If you are buying a fitness equipment home gym don’t rush out and buy the first one you see. Home fitness exercise equipment can be expensive. If it is possible try it out at a store or gym and find out all you can about how it works. Home gyms can be expensive and you don’t want to make a purchase that you may regret later.