I thought this was the cutest cardio workout gadget, or cardio exercise equipment that is great for all canine lovers! A great way to lead a healthy lifestyle, with an active partner who is always ready for a walk or run. No matter how early, or how late in the day it is.

Cardio Workout: Cardio Canine

A “hands free” human harness and dog lesh, with a secure water bottle holder.  Your dog’s leash is attached to the Cardio Canine belt, which sits securely on around your waist. Now your hands are free for other things, like carrying doggy treats, or picking up droppings.

There’s nothing difficult about this cardio gadget, quite practical actually, especially if you have larger dogs. I myself am a smaller than average person, and my dog – an angel that he is, is still a bit difficult to control when he’s excited. It gives my arms a difficult, but good workout though.

Having the Cardio Canine around the waist seems better than trying to manage your dog in one hand, and doing something else with the other. If the dog is leashed at the waist, you as an owner have more power and control because power comes from your core. Your legs are the next powerhouse in helping you control your stability, and offers leverage of force when needed.

Health Benefits with dogs

Being a dog owner, and going out for routine walks are great for practicing a regular healthy lifestyle and workout. Aside from being a great companion, dogs (and other pets) offer great benefits to their owners, aside from an active lifestyle. Other health benefits with dogs include:

• Improvement of Mood – soft fur, cute animal, and fun loving nature is enough to lift anyone’s spirit. It’s also been proven that people with pets are less likely to suffer from depression
• Lower Blood Pressure – They help you relax and get your mind off of things, even if it is only for a minute. Having a pet has been proven to help a person relax and reduce tension.
• Reduce Stress Levels – They are the best listener, which also makes a dog a better supporter, compared to another human being. Mainly because pets will never judge us, but always will love us.

• Unconditional Love – Dogs really are a man’s best friend, and has been found to be one of the best antidotes to loneliness.

Cardio Workout Gadget: Cardio Canine

Technorati Tags: cardio, Cardio Canine, cardio workout gadget, dog, Health Benefits, health benefits with dogs, healthy lifestyle, human harness, improve mood, leash, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, unconditional love, walk, Workout

From the Japanese company, Mastunaga, comes a new gadget to keep awake: the Wink Glasses. A pair of lightweight, stylish looking glasses meant to help you stay awake. It is paired with a “wink sensor”, a detachable sheet of transparent liquid crystal sensor that fogs up when it senses no eye “winking” movement.

Gadget Keep Awake: Wink Glasses

Wink Glasses: how do they work?

On average, an adult male blinks three times in a second, while women average almost two blinks every four seconds. Wink Glasses is a gadget that gives a leeway of 5 seconds, if it detects no eye movement (which would constitute to a person day dreaming, or about to doze off), the glasses will begin to cloud one eye. Fogging the vision of one side of the glasses is said to stimulate the brain, to wake you up. The moment it senses eye movement it will revert back to its transparent state.

Wink Glasses are USB powered, but are also able to function wirelessly up to 8 hours. The “wink sensor” can be attached to your prescription glasses.

Gadget Keep Awake: Wink Glasses

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Hope everyone had a happy holidays, and soon a Happy New Years. Everything suddenly got  busy, more than usual – so I had to put my series on hold for a bit. But happily, I have found a bit of time to write

Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer

The Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer chair is built at a curve, which is suppose to contour to the appropriate curve of your spine. It requires, and allows one type of movement, which is leaning back and sitting back, up right.

Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab trainer: back pain relief & ab workout

How to use the Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer…

Leaning backwards stretches your back, decompressing your spine to alleviate back pain. The gentle, and easy movement is to slowly expand your discs, helping reduce backaches. To complete the movement, lowering yourself back down to the starting position tones your abs, while realigning your spine for a better posture.

The Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer is equipped with a seat and headrest. The backrest is a skeleton of soft foam rolls and rubber. The design and materials are meant to provide a firm support for your head, neck and spine as you lean back. The chair also supports your upper body so that you won’t strain your spine as you would during a traditional sit up.

Is the Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer effective?

If you are looking for a fast way to tone your core, this may not be the one for you. The Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer is firstly a back stretcher before it is an ab workout machine. Needless to say, you could progressively strengthen your core overtime, given that you contract your abs during your whole session. This will probably give you the slowest ab results out of all the ab workout machines in my series; however, it would be beneficial to those who have minor trouble with back flexibility, and needs to stretch their back out. Would not recommend for those with severe back pain in need of relief unless medical physician says otherwise.

Brookstone Back Stretcher & Ab Trainer

Technorati Tags: ab workout, back, back pain, back pain relief, back stretcher & ab trainer, Brookstone back stretcher & ab trainer, decompress spine, flexibility, lean back, sit up, spine, strengthen core, tone abs, workout machine

I decided to just do a quick break from my workout ab machine series, to just write something about Christmas. It’s coming, and soon it will be here, so let the gift getting begin if it hasn’t already.

Funny Christmas gifts are the alternative when you’re stumped as to what to get someone who seems to have everything, or when it can be related to some humorous memories or meaning.  Degrees of hilarity are left to the giver’s choice. The concept of funny is different for each person, so decide on what type of humor you’d like to share with your person. These types of gifts can be found in novelty stores, and some times in department stores if you poke around hard enough. Below is a list of the most common funny Christmas gifts you can find from your local store (**Rated PG**).

If you have any funny ideas or suggestions of funny gifts you saw, got or gave leave a comment. I’d love to hear it!

Funny Christmas gift ideas:

Underwear with funny prints or quotes, are always enjoyable and entertaining.

coal candy

Technorati Tags: bobble head, cards, christmas, Christmas gifts, fun candies, Funny Christmas gift, funny gifts, humorous, novelty stores, t-shirts with funny quotes, underwear

This ab workout machine seems like an innovative hybrid, meant to involve sit-up movements, with a bike machine frame to tone abs.  Providing support while specifically forcing users to work out their core muscles, Ab Coaster Pro works the abs from the bottom up; rather than top down like a normal floor crunch.

Bottom up VS top down:

People do not enjoy doing regular floor crunches because we find that it strains our neck and upper back. Since majority of your movement is from the upper half during a sit-up, this is called a “top-down” work out. Ab Coaster Pro is said to eliminate that upper body tension during workout. While supporting your upper half, it supposedly offers better results because it demands movement from your core and lower half, a “bottom-up” workout. This concept is said to be the most effective approach for toned abs.

How does the Ab Coaster work?

Kneeling on the seat, your arms are rested on the rest pads while grabbing onto the handles. Using just your stomach muscles, Ab Coaster Pro’s seat offers support as you draw your knees to your chest, and release.

The seat swivels from side to side, for a smooth transition from working out your front, to your side. Adjusting the angle of the seat can allow users to target different sections of the tummy area. Below the seat is a plate loading weight bar for additional weights to get a greater workout.

Ab Coaster Pro Reviews:

Before buying, it’s always a good thing to know what you’re getting into. Here are a few product reviews of what people said so far:

Noisy. The sound of rolling steal as the seat glides along the rail can be quite irritating after a while.

Not as easy as it looks. Working out the core can be difficult, but so can every other part of the body. Everything takes practice, and getting use to.

There are better Ab Coaster products. Many people have mentioned that other Ab Coaster products have given better results than the Pro.

Ab Coaster Pro

Technorati Tags: Ab Coaster, ab coaster pro, ab machine, bottom up workout, Core Muscles, floor crunch, lower body, stomach muscles, tone abs, top down workout

I first saw this product on television a few years ago, before he went onto the American Shopping Channel. Never thought about Mastermoves after that until I decided to write this ab machine series. It’s nice to have variety, and I thought that this would be a good one to talk about. Not that I endorse it, or any of these ab machine in that matter, but it is different from the usual huge hauling, assembling contraptions that I thought it would be nice for a change.

Mastermoves is workout program designed and created by a local fitness trainer, engineer & salsa dancer Oswaldo Koch.  A new routine to help twist away your fat, strengthen your core, a give fabulous abs in about 3 months.

How does Mastermoves work?

Mastermoves require users to stand on their feature product: the Master Disk, a wooden swiveling, but stable diskette. The workout comes from keeping the upper half of the body straight and facing forward, while you twist the lower half of the body at the core. Twisting motions help work out your sides and stomach muscles; at the same time, you also learn the same twisting moves for salsa.

Mastermoves: Master Disk

Master Disk is partnered with a Master Rod, which looks similar to a wooden twirling baton. Used to help stabilize a person’s balance when twisting, and certain arm movements allow for a greater workout.

Mastermoves: compact & convenient?

This is probably the most compact ab workout machine I’ve seen thus far. The small size allows easy portability, and I wonder how convenient it can be for someone of a busy lifestyle? Naturally it seems like something you can easily manage while watching TV, but how about twisting away as you fold laundry? It probably would not be the best thing to twist in the kitchen as you make dinner, or drink your morning coffee. But it is not a hidden fact that many people after a while become lazy, and make excuses for not working out. Sadly, it becomes a costly habit.

Like any work out machine or program, people need to stick with the routine to get the results. Many people usually buy workout contraptions and then forget about it later, which defeats the purpose of buying an ab machine entirely. While larger workout machines cost more to stand in corners collecting dust, Mastermoves at least, is compact enough to be left hibernating forever under the bed.

Mastermoves: Master Disk & Master Rod

Technorati Tags: ab machine, burn fat, compact ab machine, master disk, Master Rod, mastermoves, Oswaldo Koch, salsa, side muscles, stomach mucles, strengthen core, tone muscles, twist away fat, workout routine

While we would all like to maintain our ideal weight and shape, choosing the right work out machine is one option people can conveniently shed pounds at home. With so many exercise machines out there, how do we start looking? And so I begin my “Top Ab Machine 2009” series. Review 5 ab workout machines for those who are feeling the weight of heavy feasting.

First up: Ab Lounge, an ergonomically and efficiently designed lawn chair to help people do full-on crunches easily.

How does the Ab Lounge work?

The fabric seating supporting your head, neck and back, while you work out your stomach muscles; and a digital counter tracks your progress. Movements of a crunch targets your abs, and you can adjust to work out the sides as well. A full on body workout requires movement of a butterfly motion, and pulling of strings.

Sit ups become easier with this machine as the chair’s design enhances the momentum of a crunch. If it does not require a lot of effort then just how effect is this machine?

Who should use Ab Lounge?

It may suit people who have back pain, or have difficulties doing a regular crunch. It is worrisome when watching the demos on the commercials; people lying back, bending pass the 180-degree mark of the spine. This could be problematic for those who are not as flexible as the models on television. All though, people with back problems have mentioned that the Ab Lounge has made working out easier for them; while, regular want-to-be-fit people have not seen any results and allow it to collect dust somewhere in the house. At least it folds nicely to rest in your closet, or under the bed where you know you’ll forget about it, and then remember it long after the return policy has run out.

Those with back problems, please check with your doctor before purchasing. People who are just wanting to get fit, there are other better, less expensive alternatives than this contraption.

Ab Lounge

Technorati Tags: 2009, ab lounge, ab machine, back pain, back support, better abs, crunch, enhance sit up, lose weight, sit up, top ab machine, Workout

In response to the annual festive feasting, many of us observe ourselves afterwards and are astounded by what seems to be pounds gained overnight. Then there is the never-ending cycle of getting the weight off in time for the holiday season, only to feast again, and then attempt to burn it off before summer hits.

A popular solution to slimming down are exercise machines, ab machines in particular as the stomach area is one of the most popular self-conscious body sections. But before we go spending dollars on workout machines that may be used once or twice in its life, be sure to take a read. Reviews on the top five ab machines of 2009 will be posted throughout the upcoming week, so no rush to buy. The holiday season is great for getting deals and discounts, it will be worth the wait while you determine what’s right for you.

Sneak-peek of some ab machine reviews to come:

Ab Lounge

Said to be more effective than the standard sit-ups. With different chairs for specific workouts, people have the option of exercising their whole body (Ab Lounge Sport), or just target their abs (Ab Lounge2). It offers support to your head, neck and back, while you work out your stomach muscles.

Ab Lounge Sport

Mastermoves

I saw this on the television show, Dragon’s Den, and thought that this was an interesting ab workout machine I had to include in my findings. Mastermoves is an ab workout program that includes, probably the most compact ab workout machine I’ve seen thus far. It uses something called a Master Disk, a wooden swiveling diskette, specifically designed to help twist away your fat and strengthen your core.

Mastermoves

Ab Coaster Pro

Its design is similar to those cardio bike machines, however this machine specifically forces you to use your core muscles to create momentum. The seat glides along a curved, inclined rail; and the seat swivels so you can easily go from working your front, to targeting your sides.

Ab Coaster

Back Stretcher & Ab trainer

This one is interesting, for people who have backaches. This fit machine allows users to lean back, stretching the back to alleviate back pain, and realign the spine for a better posture. Upon lowering yourself back down, that is where the abs is exercised.

backstretcher

B-Liner

A new ab & fitness machine that is said to make its great debut early-December 2009. This new workout gadget straight out of Asia is a manual, and portable device that can be used for the abs, or for an all-round body workout. Due to an agreement of momentary secrecy in exchange for primary blogging rights upon appearance, no more can be said at the moment

Please stay tuned for my complete reviews on the top ab machines of 2009!

Technorati Tags: 2009, ab coaster pro, ab lounge, ab machine, b-liner, back stretcher & ab trainer, better abs, Core Muscles, dragons den, Exercise, Exercise Machines, lose weight, master disk, mastermoves, sport, stomach muslces, strengthen core, top 5 ab machine, top ab machines

Heat wraps are a great Thanksgiving gift idea that costs less than $100. Heat gifts are great for anyone who has arthritis, circulation problems, or for anyone who just wants to stay warm.  Heat wraps/pads are great, as they do not take up a lot of energy like personal heaters do. They come in all different types of sizes and materials, and their flexibility in material and design allows you to focus the heat source to targeted areas.

The Chi Ondi Heating Pad with wrap is my new founding suggestion for a Thanksgiving gift idea that’s less than $100. It has a ceramic powder pad, which helps to retain the heat longer than usual heat pads or a hot water bottle. The elastic wrap material and Velcro straps allow for secure comfort for anyone of any size.

ChiOndi Heat Wrap for upper back relief

Chi Ondi Heat Warp Benefits:

You can get a large pad to wrap around your mid-section, or you can get smaller pads to focus on specific joints.

-    100% Ceramic powder only
-    Ceramic pad retains heat longer compared to other heat pads
-    Safe, will not explode if overheated
-    No Leakage material
-    Can last 2 – 3 hours

ChiOndi Heat Wrap around the waist

How to use Chi Ondi Heat Wrap:

1.    Remove the ceramic powder pad from the wrap, and microwave for no more than 3 minutes.
2.    Place ceramic pad in the wrap pocket
3.    Use wrap in desired area
**Recommendation: Avoid applying the wrap directly to skin once removed from the microwave, place an extra line of thin cloth in between.

Ceramic Joint Heating Pads

Technorati Tags: arthritis, bad circulation, ceramic heating pad, ceramic powder pad, Chi Ondi, circulation, Heat wrap, less than $100, thanksgiving gift idea

Using ice to treat injuries is one of the oldest methods of pain control. While heat is great for improving circulation, and relaxing muscles, it won’t reduce any pain or swelling. Ice is the safest, easiest, and effective way to reduce swelling, relieving pain and decreasing muscle spasms.

Ice Face Roller

A gift idea for anyone who is prone to injury, or just wants to cool their body down in general I recommend the Ice Face Roller.

This small product is travel size, lightweight, and easy to use. The size and design allows this little innovation to be a multi-purpose tool, because you can use it anywhere on your body. It also has a detachable ice barrel, so you don’t have to freeze the whole thing, and it makes it easier to clean.

Ice Face Roller

How can I use the ice face roller?

Beauty uses…

This Ice Face Roller is great for those who want to reduce any facial swelling, like puffy eyes. It can also be used to close the skin pores, either in the morning, or before applying make up. By closing up your pores you reduce the amount of dirt and toxins that gets inside your skin. This helps you maintain cleaner, healthier and younger looking skin.

Body uses…

For injuries, swelling, or pain the Ice Face Roller can easily maneuver around. The non-stick ice barrel glides around smoothly, and doesn’t cause a pool of water like a bag of ice would.

If you have other ideas on how this product can be used, please leave a comment below to share .

Technorati Tags: close pores, cold therapy, gift idea, gift idea #3, ice face roller, ice roller, reduce pain, reduce swelling, thanksgiving