Dork Adore » Fitness

Ultra Motor Fast4ward electric bicycles

Judy Johnson — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:12:17 +0000

Yes, cycling is great exercise and yes, it’s far better than using a car, but what if you prefer to take it easy while still getting to work faster than you can on most public transport options?

Well, it turns out cycling doesn’t have to be hard work.

Ultra Motor‘s range of Fast4ward electric bicycles mean that you can still keep your carbon footprint reasonably low (once you’ve cycled off both the carbon debt of the bicycle and the electricity) without the unsightly sweat patches.

Foldable electric bicycles!

The new bikes are compact, foldable and versatile, and make a great alternative to a regular bike. With a 250w motor, you needn’t break a sweat when it comes to riding up those hills because the bike will put the power in for you.

An environmentally friendly alternative to commuting via train, car or motorbike, the bikes are easy on the planet as well as the purse strings thanks to their rechargeable batteries; just 7p of electricity will take you 40 miles.

As well as all the benefits of your usual bicycle, the Fast4ward range gives you the chance to go a little faster; the motor can take you up to 15.5 miles per hour, which is 50% above the average cycling speed. So there’s no need to be late to that Monday morning meeting…

The beauty of the range is that you can pick your pace; cycle all the way if you want to or if you’re tired after a long day of work you can switch it on and give yourself a break. You deserve it, after all.

If you’re not sure you want to take the plunge but would like to give it a go, Ultra Motor has recently teamed up with Hertz, the world’s largest car rental company to allow Londoners to hire the electric bikes for just £20 a day from the Marble Arch branch.

Try before you buy – can’t argue with that…

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PowerBIKE reinvents the wheel with Power Plate technology

Judy Johnson — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

You probably thought the bike was a pretty flawless invention, but the fitness fanatics over at Power Plate HQ have decided to improve it, using the infamous Plate’s mechanical vibration technology to up the ante.

Yes, a vibrating bike.

The powerBIKE is the world’s first stationary bike to incorporate the pedal and crank system; with every revolution, the technology produces mechanical vibration that generates more muscle activity. So the harder you cycle, the more the bike vibrates, giving your legs a far more hardcore workout than a simple cycle.

Quadriceps work 167% more than in standard cycling; hamstrings are pushed an extra 144%; and the glutes are put through their paces by an extra 138%. That’s the kind of maths any gym bunny would love.

Of course, cycling in itself is a great cardiovascular exercise and the guys over at Power Plate haven’t forgotten it; you can cycle on the bike as normal if you fancy your usual workout, before a flick of a switch to turn it into the ultimate training companion.

Varying your workout between standard cycling and biking with vibrations will keep your muscles working, your heart rate pounding and also give you a much-needed breather from the powerful vibes when you tire.

Trust us, you’ll need it.

PowerBIKE review

Ever the new gadget enthusiast, I tried it out and – once I’d got my breath back – raved about it.

For those who struggle to fit in an hour’s spinning class five times a week (how do you guys DO it?) and are left unsatisfied by a quick go on the bike in the gym, the powerBIKE could fix your fitness woes. Just five minutes on the bike with the vibrations switched on will leave even the fittest athlete sweating: it’s accelerated training at its best.

Top cyclists across the world are already using it in their training to enhance performance and are loving the results. It’s also hailed as a great weight loss tool thanks to the mixture of aerobic exercise and muscle conditioning. Plus, with the powerBIKE and Power Plate deemed a match made in heaven, the pair are the perfect equipment if you are thinking of adding to your home gym. Cardio, conditioning and calorie burning from your own home? We like it.

For just one little machine, the powerBIKE packs a punch when it comes to taking workouts up a notch and we think it’s going to be pretty popular with time-strapped fitness fans. It’s about time toning got technical…

The powerBIKE retails for £2995 and is available from gymcompany.co.uk and John Lewis.

Power Plate UK Shop

Find a PowerBIKE gym

Two five minute workouts you’re meant to do daily, totally abs-focused.

Pros

Nice and easy, with lots of simple abs exercises that you could easily extend beyond the limiting five minutes. If you want something that takes very little time but is a first step toward fitness. It’s not going to take much time out of your day, either.

Cons

There isn’t much else to it, and with only two workouts, it’s going to get old quickly, especially as you get stronger. Like the 100 Push-Ups programme, it won’t give you all-round fitness benefits

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[Image: DavidGardinerGarcia]

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How to become a supreme being

Katie — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:30:29 +0000

Are you a supreme being? If you had Mary Poppins’s measuring tape, what would it say about you?

Much as I’d like to think I was practically perfect in every way, I suspect mine would probably just read “could do better”.

And yet I persist in attempts at personality makeovers. I’m always on the hunt for mindhacks that might make me a better me — which is why I’m quite taken by Habitforge.

Habitforge is based on the principle that forming new habits takes 21 days. You sign up for free, pick something you want to start doing or thinking or whatever, and off you go.

Every day you’ll get an email asking if you’ve stuck to your new habit. Answer yes and you’re on the road to a better you, answer no and you have to start your 21 days from the beginning.

I tried it a while back with the hope of being a bit less inclined to find the storm cloud in every situation. It certainly hasn’t made me all sunshine and smiles, but it helped set me on a less dismal path. I just need to do a few more personality tweaks and I’ll be even more marvellous.

Have a go and let me know how you get on. Habitforge.

Source: How to form good habits [Jorg&Olif the Slow Life Company]

Image: Bee and Rose (thanks!)

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The Shakeweight: Dork Review

Emma Cossey — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:00:22 +0000

A couple of months ago, a video did the rounds of a brand new piece of workout equipment that promised to eradicate bingo wings and have people queuing up for a ticket to the gun show.

I watched the promotional video. About five times. What can be so interesting about a glorified dumbell, I hear you cry?

Check out the video to see why it’s worth several (highly amusing) watches.

In the meantime, the people behind the Shakeweight sent one over for me to try.

The Shakeweight is basically a large dumbbell with ‘vibration features’ which means the ends vibrates as you ‘shake’ it. It comes with a DVD that shows you how to tone your arms in six minutes a day.

It’s easy enough to use. Simply hold it in two hands and shake it towards and away from you. There are various other exercises you can do too, all of which works different parts of your arms.

The big question: Does it work?

I’d love to say it’s a complete gimmick. But you can feel the burn as you use it, so I’ve no doubt that it would help you tone it up. The vibrating motion has much the same effect as power plating, putting extra pressure on your muscles.

But spending six minutes a day solidly shaking a dumbbell is boring. Exercise regimes need to have variety in order to be motivating and interesting, and that’s something this program lacks.

Advantages

Battery-free
Simple to use
Compact

Disadvantages

Lack of variety in exercises

You feel like a prat using it

Conclusion

If you don’t mind looking a little foolish and prefer a regular exercise routine rather than a varied one, this might be worth a try as the results are good. For the fickle and vain (e.g. me) it doesn’t have quite the same appeal as power plating.

Buy it from the ShakeWeight site for £29.99 or from Amazon for £9.81

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Review: Sketchers Shape-ups

Emma Cossey — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:00:44 +0000

Being a bit of a gym-dodger when it comes to exercise, the concept of a pair of trainers that tones up the legs and bum without taking a step near a treadmill appealed immediately.

So, when Fitness Footwear offered me the chance to try out their latest range of Shape Up trainers, I happily took on the challenge.

A few days later and I was strapping on a pair of chunky looking fitness footwear with girly pink piping for my morning dog walk.

Several weeks on, does it stand up to its claims of being a bum-toning, leg-strengthening, posture-improving wondershoe?

Here’s my thoughts…

Sketchers explain that their trainers help you do all of the above thanks to its “unique soft kinetic wedge insert and dynamic rolling bottom to stimulate walking on soft sand”.

So, that explains why none of the cast of Baywatch had cellulite.

The trainers are surprisingly comfortable, partly because that wedge provide the arch of your foot with a soft support, and partly because they’re just very well made trainers. Walking around in them takes a couple of minutes to adjust to. though, as you rock forwards and back due to the rolling bottom.

Once I got walking, I felt my calves working harder and my core muscles strengthening. I can’t even remember the last time my core muscles made their presence known, so it was a welcome sensation to feel my body automatically adopt a better posture.

Looks-wise, you’re not going to grab any style awards. But they look fairly normal under a pair of trousers or jeans, so you can pop them on for your commute to work or when you’re doing the school run.

In summary:

Wins points for:

Working wonders for your calves. I’ve definitely seen an improvement in my legs since using them on a daily basis.
Improving your posture. It does make you more aware of a straight posture, although I’m not sure whether this effect lasts after you take the trainers off.
Convenience. If you don’t have time to hit the gym, this can help you get your legs ready for the beach.

Loses points for:

The look. They’re not exactly ugly, but they’re a little clumpy. But then, when do fitness trainers ever look good?

The price. Currently around £89.95. Ouch.

Storage. They’re chunky, so there’s no way you can chuck these in your handbag after commuting to work.

Conclusion

These trainers do exactly what they say on the box. However, they’re not a replacement for the gym unless you plan on incorporating a large amount of walking into your daily schedule. They basically optimise the results of your current walking regime, which is no bad thing. If you’ve got a spare £80 hanging around, I’d say they’re worth a purchase.

The trainers were sent to me by Fitness Footwear, and you can buy them here.

Also available on Amazon, eBay or Schuh.

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Five fitness trends you need to try in 2010

Emma Cossey — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:00:17 +0000

New year, new fitness regime? Yeah, my exercise resolutions have kind of fallen by the wayside a little too.

Frankly, I need something a little more inspiring then a treadmill and a new tracksuit.

So, here’s a round up of the top gadgets and trends for fitness in 2010.

1) Reebok EasyTone, £58.50

Toning trainers are not exactly breaking news, but these Reebok versions are attractive and (apparently) effective. The balance pods built into the trainers means your legs have to work a little bit harder. Wear them when you’re walking about and you’ll be getting a workout without even realising it.

2) XDream bike

Popping up in large gyms across the country, the XDream Bike is an exercise bike with a dorky twist. The bike has a racing game built in, where you have to race against others to win the race at various levels.

It’s also packed full of sensors and realistic features like usable gears and moveable handlebars, to give you the illusion of riding outside.

The workout tones your arms, core muscles and legs, so it’s a great overall machine. Check out the website to see which gyms in your local area have the XDream.

3) Power Plates

If you haven’t tried Power Plates before, now is the time.

Favoured by Madonna and erm…Jonathan Ross, the Power Plate is a vibrating plate which you stand on when holding certain positions, to tone your body in a short space of time.

Efficient and hard working, it’ll cut down your workout time significantly.

You can try a Power Plate session for free through Wahanda.com, or check your local gym for facilities.

4) Exotic classes

Thanks to a change in attitude towards exercise, we’re seeing more and more interesting fitness classes in the UK.

The popularity of dance talent shows has seen an increase in ballroom dancing, Salsa and latin dance styles like Zumba.

It certainly beats putting down ‘going to the gym’ on the interests section of your CV.

You can either find a class close to you or workout at home with one of these DVD options.

5) Gaming fitness

Finally, there’s the trend for combining gaming with fitness at home.

We’ve been reviewing several games recently for the Wii, and the camera and Wii Board gives plenty of room for further games. The Wii Fit Plus will improve your balance and the Wii Shape Up and Wii jOG will get you moving more.

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Dork Review: Wii Shape Up

Emma Cossey — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:00:10 +0000

Right, lets be honest, most of us are going to pile it on this winter. There’s too much fun food around to even consider a diet, and there’s absolutely no way I’m going to consider any form of exercise more taxing then reaching for the roast potatoes.

Easing your way back into an exercise routine can be tough after a break, but anyone who owns a Wii can get a head start with the new Your Shape game.

As a professional salad-and-cardio-dodger, I felt I was an excellent guinea pig to test this fitness game out.

The game uses a camera, similar looking to a webcam, which perches on top of your TV. Pop the game into your Wii and connect the camera, and you’re ready to go.

Your shape takes the same concept of the Wii Fit games, where a virtual fitness trainer takes you through a workout. This time however, you get to see your own image jumping around next to your fitness instructor.

*shudder*

There’s nothing dignified about doing star jumps next to a Lycra-clad virtual woman.

Vanity aside, I can genuinely say it bordered on fun. You can focus on specific body parts and choose whether to burn, tone or strengthen them.

The section I was really impressed with was the specialist workouts. There are various workouts for new mums, bikini bodies and New Years resolutions.

So, overall:

Wins points for:

Features: So many that it will take you days to get through them all.
Camera: Useful to show you exactly how you’re doing.
Calorie counter: Simple enough, but it’s nice to know when you’ve earned yourself a Twix.

Loses points for:

Annoying voice: The personal trainer’s voice starts to grate after a while.
Lack of a male trainer: It would be great to get a few different trainers. Fit men are always motivating, even if they are virtual.

Conclusion

If you want to get fit in the new year, without the 12-month commitment of a gym, then this is definitely worth a consideration.

You can buy it from Argos for £38.99.

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WaterRower: The first visually pleasing rowing machine?

Emma Cossey — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:22 +0000

The terms ‘stylish’ and ‘natural’ are not terms most people associate with an exercise machine. Functional, yes. Safe, God I hope so. But the reality is that you’re buying it so that you can look good, not so that it looks good in your spare room.

WaterRower are hoping to change this with their new Natural range of rowing machines.

The WaterRower is hand crafted from solid cherrywood, and is powered by water. See that tank at the left end of the WaterRower? It’s filled with water and a pair of mini oars, so you’ll be *literally* rowing through water.

Once you’ve finished rowing, you can prop it up vertically, which takes up about the same amount of room as a dining room chair.

Prices for the WaterRower range start at around £749 from John Lewis. Start saving now, and you could have one in your home for all those fitness new year’s resolutions.

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Diet friendly appliances

Emma Cossey — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:21 +0000

I seem to have spent the last few months making half hearted promises to myself that I will lose that stone that’s crept on, and I will start eating more fruit and vegetables and less chocolate and wine.

Maybe what I need is a few appliances that will seduce me into improving my diet without realising. A bit like buying a brand new wardrobe for hitting the gym.

First stop then is a smoothie maker. I had one of these at uni and I did find myself getting up earlier in the mornings to create various different combinations, plus if you buy in frozen fruit it tends to be pretty cheap. This Kenwood smoothie maker (right) caught my eye as it has three different functions, a tap at the front to dispense the smoothie mess free and a function to crush ice. Perfect for cocktails you say?

It’s yours for £19.99 from Argos.

Next, I’m tempted by this Russell Hobbs mini chopper from Argos for £12.89. Chuck in the vegetables and it will chop them up into neat little cubes. A nice and simple way to prepare a batch of vegetables to dry roast for dinner, or for soups, casseroles or sauces. Healthier than a big bowl of chips too!

Steaming is one of the healthiest way to cook your food, ensuring all the goodness stays in as you cook it thoroughly. Plus the chances of me burning dinner are pretty small. This Cookworks steamer is from Argos for £28.39 and has had great reviews for its three levels of steaming, boil dry safety feature and 60 minute timer.

You can’t really look at healthy cooking products without considering a George Foreman grill. The world famous ‘lean, mean grilling machine’ cooks meat in a way that drains the fat and grease into the trip tray. Both my sister’s boyfriend and my boyfriend own one of these, and rave about how they work…but never seem to use them. Something to do with them being a bit of an effort to clean.

Great concept, but surely popping a steak under the grill will have a similar effect?

Do you have any healthy recommendations?

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Dork Adore » Fitness

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