Gym Equipment

Thirumoorthy R, Certified Sports Engineer (trainee) at Sports & Management Research Institute (SMRI) describes about different types of Gym Equipment in this

1. THIRUMOORTHY R Certified Sports Engineer (Trainee) Sports & Management Research Institute (SMRI)

2. What is a GYM A gym is a place of large room with equipment providing a range of facilities designed to improve and maintain physical fitness, health and increasing strength to human body.

3. Gym equipment: Gym equipment is any apparatus or device used during physical activity to enhance the strength or conditioning effects of that exercise by providing either fixed or adjustable amounts of resistance.

4. History: The first gymnasiums in history were dated over 3000 years ago, in ancient Persia, where they were known as Zurkhaneh , as areas that encouraged physical fitness. The ancient Greek gymnasiums were places where athletes trained for public games such as the Olympics. By the 19th century, schools and colleges started building gymnasiums. The YMCA also built a number of gyms for physical exercise, social sports and games. In the 1930s, boxing gyms came into existence, with the founding of Cus D'Amanto's Gramercy Gym in Manhattan in 1939. These gyms aimed to train fighters and boxers and were not places for general exercise. Between the 1960s and 1970s, gymnasium chains came into existence. In 1965, the Gold's gym chain was founded by Joe Gold in Venice, California and it became a landmark for bodybuilders.

5. Continue…… By the 1980s, gyms were common and many gyms chains were founded, .such as 24 Hour Fitness (1983) and LA Fitness (1984). National fitness campaigns were started in China prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics with the introduction of outdoor gyms. These gyms were widely accepted and over 37 million square feet of outdoor gymnasiums were built across China from 1998 to 2008.

6. Upper body workout equipment: Dumbbell: it can be used individually or in pairs, with one in each hand. Dip station : dips work your chest and arms so you need to ideally supplement this with your arm and chest workouts.

7. Continue…. Battle ropes : battle ropes give you full body strength training, enhances your fatigue resistance and helps your twitch muscles Bench press : a device which can help you get that perfect rock hard chest you’ve always dreamt of.

8. Continue…. Incline bench press: The shoulders and upper chest area can be targeted. Hammer strength machine: A plate loaded device which focuses on the body’s natural path of motion such as Lats, chest, middle back, shoulders and triceps.

9. Continue…. Lat pull down machine: it is a strength training device with a padded seat, thigh support and a long bar hanging from an upper rod for the purpose of work your lats. pec deck machine: This machines is particularly beneficial to build chest and shoulder muscles, and also enhance arms strength and stability.

10. Continue…. Pull up bar: you can pull yourself up with your chin above the bar. Triceps bar: This bar will let you get a comfortable grip as well as perform tricep focused movement with ease.

11. Continue…. Preacher bench: Using a preacher bench is a great way to target your biceps without putting pressure on your wrists. Another way to use this device is with a reverse grip to target the forearms. Handgrip exerciser : Mechanical handgrips are inexpensive training devices that can help you build hand strength.

12. Lower body workout equipment: Reverse hyper: The spine is gently stretched and the lumbar area is strengthened. Plyo boxes: It’s a solid box/construct on which you can perform a variety of movements that can recruit several muscle groups at one time. You can do box jumps, burpees, pistol squats, jackknifes, elevated crunches, decline side planks, and many more types of exercise.

13. Continue….. Sir resistance exercise bike: An exercise bike with a twist, the air resistance bike uses exponential resistive force generated by air to give you a thorough cardio workout. Stair stepper: This is an inexpensive machine which can simulate climbing stairs which is considered a really good cardio workout.

14. Continue….. Ankle weights: A well-cushioned weight-bracelet for your ankle which is a very useful and portable method to add more to your resistance to your morning walks or jogging routine. Leg curl machine: The ideal machine for toning your quadriceps is the leg extension machine.

15. Continue….. Leg press machine: The ultimate machine to work your leg muscles is the leg press . it is a great way to strengthen and sculpt the entire leg, and engage multiple muscle groups. Leg extension machine: t he ideal machine for toning your quadriceps is the leg extension machine.

16. Continue….. Hack squat machine: It is essentially a combination of leg press and squat machines. It works your quadriceps in a much more efficient way. Calf machines: Your calves get a more muscular appearance when you work the soleus muscles.

17. Continue….. Leg adduction and abbduction machine: seated exercise machine which can provide resistance when closing and the opening the legs. You can tone your glutes with abduction and inner thigh muscles during adduction using this machine.

18. Fullbody workout equipment Prowler / dragging sled : If you are into endurance training, you can use this every day. Mini trampoline: A fun little piece of equipment which you can use to strengthen your body, hone your balance and increase aerial body control.

19. Continue….. Inversion table : It relies on the effect of gravity to pull and decompress joints of your body that are below the anchor. This effect stretches out your body and you can adjust being at a small angle or fully vertical. Vibration plate:  Full body vibration therapy.

20. Continue….. Power rack (squat rack /squat station): A piece of weight training equipment which helps you perform barbell exercises by functioning as a mechanical spotter with saddles that can rest at varied heights and bars that can go across such heights. Maxi climber : it is a fast and easy way to get into shape. It engages all the major muscle groups to build strength and burn calories.

21. Continue….. Stretching machine: Stretching machines are ergonomically designed devices to make stretching movements easier and more efficient. They are ideal for athletes and also useful for preventing sport-related injuries. Smith machine: The machine has a barbell which is fixed within steel rails allowing vertical movements. Using a smith machine bolsters the upper back, improves core strength, and stabilizes the shoulders.

22. Continue….. Suspension trainer: It consists of several nylon bands and plastic buckles and is used to leverage your body against gravity to create resistance. Using a suspension trainer, you can perform hundreds of different exercise movements which work on various parts of the body. Cable pulley machine: Also known as the cable crossover machine, it has a framework with grips that are attached to cables which are further connected to weights. A variety of exercises can be performed on this.

23. Continue….. Kettlebells: One of the most ancient and efficient pieces of strength training equipment is the kettle bell. Consisting of an iron ball with a handle, there are hundreds of exercises which you can do using a kettlebell. Roman chair: he Roman chair is a piece of equipment that you can use to primarily tone your lower back or strengthen your abs, hamstrings and gluteal muscles.

24. Continue….. Abdominal bench: Similar to hyperextension bench, the abdominal bench targets your abs. Ab coaster: The Ab coaster machine works your abs from the bottom up, by targeting those hard to reach ab muscles. It can maximize your core workout by working your abdominal muscles.

25. Continue….. Stationary bike: This is the granddaddy of all cardio machines, the simple stationary bike. Full body cardio workout, but more towards the lower body. Recumbent bike: Recumbent Bikes are designed to give you great cardiovascular workout.

26. Continue….. Spin bike : These bikes come with a heavyweight flywheel and cycling shoe compatibility. They also come with varying resistance levels to adjust the intensity level of the workout. Treadmill: When you think of cardio workouts, treadmills are the first to come to mind. They are used to help you achieve a walking or running motion while staying in one place. Using a treadmill regularly can help you lose weight and build strength.

27. Continue….. Mini exercise bike: is a convenient alternative for people who don’t have a lot of space. It is a portable and efficient piece of equipment that can be stashed away in a closet or even under your desk at work. Metal plates / bumper plates : They are either plain metal plates or they come coated with a rubber layer. The coated plates are called bumper plates.

28. Continue….. Medicine ball: it is a weighted ball which is used in a number of exercise movements to improve fitness, strength and coordination. It is also used for helping people recover from various types of injury. Pedometers: A small electronic device mostly worn like a watch that helps you calculate the number of steps that you take in a day. Also called a step counter, some models have increased functionalities like step count per hour, calories burned, total distance, and move reminder.

29. Continue….. Pull up bands: Considering pull-ups are one of the best exercises for your upper body and these bands can help making it a lot easier for you if you are just getting into it. Blood glucose meter: his is an electronic device that is designed to test the concentration of glucose in blood. A small drop of blood is placed on a test strip that is connected to a digital meter. In a few seconds, you will able to know your blood glucose levels.

30. Continue….. Gymnastics grips: Gymnastics Grips & Crossfit Gloves are meant to protect your hands during a workout while offering a firm grip. They can also help you avoid painful rips and blisters. Jump rope: It is a simple device that helps you burn more calories than many other forms of exercise.​

31. Continue….. Resistance bands: These are elastic bands that allow you to perform strength training exercises without weights. Barbells: It is used in weightlifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting and more. It’s an essential piece of equipment for power racks and smith machine.

32. Continue….. Wall ball: You can build your core and lower body strength using a wall ball. All you have to do is fling the ball against a wall and catch it. You can combine this with sit-ups for better results. Foam roller: Foam rollers are useful to help you with your workout routines and also to treat muscle soreness. They also promote flexibility and relax overactive muscles.

33. Continue….. Stability ball : These giant inflatable rubber balls can help you perform balance training exercises such as planks and also help in stretching. It is a versatile tool which is excellent for insulating your core as well. Agility ladder : A fitness aid which you can roll out on a flat surface and perform various movements on such as sideways shuffles, skipping through rungs, etc. Improves agility of the individual.

34. Continue….. B alance boards : An essential piece of equipment in balance training, active exercise, and other athletic training. It can also be used for recreation and brain development. M ats : These mats are used in during warm down and muscle relaxing to keep your feet and hands. Today mats are come in many different materials and finishes such as cotton, jute and rubber.

35. Advantages and benefits: easy and safe to use. make you feel happier. Help you weight loss. good for your muscles and bones. Increase your energy level. reduce your risk of chronic disease. help skin health.