Ladies, Reform Your Core!

Ladies, if you are the type of person who has the discipline to get into a workout routine at home, then there might be a new piece of equipment for you. Nautilus has announced the launch of the CoreBody Reformer, a new piece of fitness equipment specifically designed to help women build their core strength by combing the moves of yoga for flexibility; dance for calorie-burn; and Pilates for muscle strength and tone. All in one package that is light and easy to carry over one shoulder.

Continue reading Ladies, Reform Your Core!

CrossCore Ready for the Extreme

httpv://youtu.be/n2BsFYOcszU

Our friends (and sponsor) CrossCore released a new video this week that showed exactly how “extreme” the CrossCore Rotational Bodyweight Training training can go. While the company says, “You may never perform these moves but doesn’t it make sense when purchasing a bodyweight trainer to purchase one with no limits?” shouldn’t you at least be able to try?

CrossCore Official Website

Your Shape 2012 Promises New You in the New Year

httpv://youtu.be/PHcx-d8mOJU

Microsoft and Ubisoft have provided a few more details for its Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012, which will officially launch tomorrow, via the new YouTube video (above). The fitness/sports game looks to build on the past success of the Your Shape Fitness franchise and once again promises to help gamers get off the couch and get a little more fit via the Kinect for the Microsoft Xbox 360. Never a bad thing.

Your Shape Fitness Official Website

Made in America: Tazi Ultimate Hydration Bottle

Most of us are fully aware of the need to stay hydrated in our daily lives, even while not engaging in a physical activity. We have to drink water to stay alive. There seems to be a countless number of companies making water bottles. Participate in any sort of  organized sporting event and you are bound to find a bottle or two in your goodie bag. So why are we mentioning another water bottle? Because this one has a twist, or should we say ‘bend’, to the design – and you probably guessed, it is made in America.

The Tazi Ultimate Hydration Bottle has unique design. The base and the cap resemble a typical water bottle, but the body has a bend towards the top. This design allows the user to not have to turn their head while taking a drink and keep their eyes focused in the direction they are traveling. It is a simple as that – a bottle with an angled top, but it was not originally designed for that purpose as explained on their website.

The angle was originally designed to facilitate an accessory that would allow the bottle to be hung from different health club equipment and still maintain a perfectly vertical disposition. More recently, the angle has proved itself to be an ergonomic feature that allows runners, skater, cyclist, and those who carry bottles to hydrate without cocking ones head. Continue reading Made in America: Tazi Ultimate Hydration Bottle

Zumba Fitness 2 Details Announced

You can dance… for inspiration. While the Material Girl sang that lyric back in the 1980s, today you can dance for fitness. And you don’t have to head to a club either. The soon to be released Zumba Fitness 2 from Majesco Entertainment will let you strut your stuff with 24 dance styles.

Zumba Fitness 2 promises to get you moving with Zumba creator Beto and international celebrity instructors Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant as they guide you through exhilarating choreography that spans 32 sizzling new tracks and 24 different international dance styles. Whether you’re playing in Single Song, Full Class or Zumba Party mode that supports up to four dancers, you’ll have a blast with this unique dance fitness experience that shapes, tones and transforms you body and almost forget you’re not working out.

Video after the jump

Kinect Sports Kicks Off Another Season

With winter just around the corner you can still get in the game, and do so from in front of the Kinect for the Microsoft Xbox 360. Kinect Sports: Season Two will let you play the warm weather sports including Tennis, Football, Baseball and Golf – plus some Darts and even the winter friendly Skiing all from your living room.

New features this year include the ability to call an audible play in football or challenge the ref in tennis with your voice, and even challenge friends over Xbox LIVE. But this year the gameplay ups the ante while getting gamers off the couch as it now includes an in-game calorie counter. You can work up a sweat, score points and lose some calories all at the same time.

Kinect Sports: Season Two will be available this holiday season from Rare and Big Park and is being published by Microsoft Studios. Tis the season to game and get in shape.

Xbox 360 Official Website

Improved Pilates Platform That You Can Stick With

While Pilates can be done at home, this is a case where more equipment is always a good thing. The problem with this however is that it can take up space very quickly. For urban dwellers, those with limited space or just anyone who doesn’t want a “gym” in their home, there are fortunately a few alternatives.

The latest is the Wrist Saver Block from Stick-e, a multipurpose foam block with handle that is designed to provide a safer, more stable and more comfortable workout. The light weight block with an internal handle optimizes wrist positioning during upper body weight bearing exercises, yoga poses and pushups. As a result, it provides better comfort and strength.

(Videos after the jump) Continue reading Improved Pilates Platform That You Can Stick With

Made in America: Slastix by Stroops

(Click Image for Closer Look)

Resistance bands are a great way to build strength or aid on the road to recovery from an injury. These bands are typically made of rubber, similar to Latex, and can sometimes break during use causing additional injury. This is counter productive especially if they are being used for rehabilitation. Since the mid-1990’s, Stroops has been making a safer resistance band under the name Slastix Technology – designed and manufactured in America.

(Video after the jump)

Continue reading Made in America: Slastix by Stroops

Hands On: Rock and Roll Trainer First Impressions

At last month’s Interbike we saw a number of products that were designed to help riders train through the winter season. These trainers came in a many varieties including stationary bikes, rollers and the basic rear-wheel trainer. The latter category has plenty of basic devices, a few even seem quite similar, but one in particular caught our eye at the show – the Kinetic Rock and Roll by Kurt. At first glance this trainer resembles the basic rear-wheel configuration where the back end of the bike is attached by clamps while the rear wheel is allowed to spin freely, rolling against metal drum that is attached to a resistance device, but the Kinetic Rock and Roll has more to offer.

It is a simple device, and has the benefit of being easy to transport, easy to store and easy to set up. Unlike a stationary bike it is compact, and lets users actually ride their own bike. Rear-wheel trainers tend not to offer the road-like feel that rollers provide, but unlike rollers there is virtually no chance of riding off of a rear-wheel trainer. This style of trainer is good in that it allows riders to mount their own bike easily and has the resistance device that rollers often lack, but a rear-wheel trainer does not have the road-like feel of rollers (especially while out of the saddle) or allow the rider to have the opportunity to ‘train’ their bike handling skills while getting a workout. Continue reading Hands On: Rock and Roll Trainer First Impressions

Interactive Trainer Makes Workout an Art Form

A kick ass workout could involve actually “kicking ass,” or you could take part in some high intensity Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Interval Training. At last week’s UFC Fan Expo in Houston, Nexersys Corporation announced the launch of the Nexersys iPower Trainer in both consumer and commercial versions. These systems combine the intensity of combat sports training with a sophisticated electronic interface. The result is much like a fast-paced game with the motivation of a personal trainer.

The Nexersys iPower Trainer is designed to deliver a heart pounding workout through 4 minute technique, strike, core and cardio video training and Avatar sparring rounds. The system utilizes seven strike pads located in three strikes zones that represent the head, body and legs. Built-in accelerometers in each strike pad capture extensive data on each strike and send that data to the Nexersys computer where it is processed delivering individualized performance feedback to the user. And don’t worry this system will let you pack a punch and will still be there for more. (Video after the jump) Continue reading Interactive Trainer Makes Workout an Art Form

Hands On: MuscleDriver USA Speed Chute

Sean Fekete running with the Speed Chute inflated (mid-sprint)

Whether you are jumping out of an airplane or drag racing, a chute is designed to slow you down; but in the case of the Speed Chute, it is designed to actually make you go faster. The Speed Chute, from MuscleDriver USA, is a chute that attaches to your waist and is to be used while running sprints. The concept behind the Speed Chute is that you are building strength through resistance – wind as opposed to weight resistance. Strap the waist band on, face the wind and sprint. It is a pretty simple concept, so we had to give it a try.

Continue reading Hands On: MuscleDriver USA Speed Chute

Golf Training Gets Mental

httpv://youtu.be/nOHa94jkqCk

Trying to improve your golf game might drive you “mental” as they say in the U.K., and as golf was born in Scotland we totally understand. But now you can improve your game by going mental in a totally good way, as in by using the Pro Mental Coach interactive program instead.

This program, which is based on neuroscience, is the world’s first mental coach of its time and was actually selected by the PGA Center for Learning & Performance. Users of the program undergo an initial assessment to determine mental game strengths and weaknesses. Following this assessment, the program customizes the appropriate “exergames” training routines based on the user’s skills. The proprietary, personalized Dynamic Intelligence System adapts difficulty level in real-time to ensure mental game training is optimized and the user gets maximum benefits in minimal training time. Continue reading Golf Training Gets Mental

Hit the Stage and Dance (But Without Any Stars)

The latest trend in video game fitness seems to revolve around strutting your stuff on the dance floor – or basically in front of your TV. This week sees the release of Dance! It’s Your Stage from dtp young entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and PC. It’s your Stage features 20 brand new tracks, recorded exclusively for the game, each with dynamic and exciting choreography from world renowned professional dance guru ‘Detlef D! Soost’.

Everybody dance now with this game, which offers full support for the PlayStation Move, Wii Balance Board and PC via the Xbox 360 controller and dance mat. The game takes place across 8 detailed locations (all of which are expandable through unlockable content) where you can select from a choice of 6 avatars with over 300 unique styling options. With Dance! It’s Your Stage you won’t be dancing with any stars, but at least you’ll be off the couch!

Dance! It’s Your Stage Official Website