Jogging and running exercise is beneficial to your cardiovascular system and your health. There is one down side to this type of exercise if you suffer from any kind of joint disease. The high impact can be overly rough on your joints for certain individuals.

The Bowflex Treadclimber advertises itself to be an excellent workout with a low impact for your joints by a simple walking action. With it’s low impact and stress on your joints, you can still work your major core muscles and burn calories with a 30 minute workout, but you can also get a good workout in on a regular elliptical trainer if you want my two cents.

The product is also said to provide a gliding, smooth motion that is less stress than running or walking on a traditional treadmill. The Treadclimber elevates your heart rate and increases your lung and heart capacity and strengthens the muscles of your legs and abdomen.

The Bowflex Treadclimber is available in 4 different models ranging in price from $3,299 down to $1,499. The TC5500 is the $3,299 model and it features a customizable programming that you can adapt to your specific fitness goals. The TC5500 also has longer foot treadles to increase comfort during your workout.

The most distinguished feature of the TC5500 is it’s goal oriented coach console which is an interactive program. The console has 9 challenge landmark workouts and as you progress, you can unlock additional programs as you meet your goals to increase your fitness levels.

The Bowflex TC5000 sells for $2,499 and is compact so you can fit it easily into any room. This model has variable speeds so you can exercise at your own pace and it also has an LED display that is user friendly.

The Bowflex TC3000 has 6 electronic functions and sells for $2.099. The speeds on this model are 0.7 to 4.0 mph and it has a 3 year motor warranty.
The least expensive model is the Bowflex TC1000 that sells for $1,499 and it has 3 electronic functions. The speeds on this model range from 0.5 to 3.8 mph and it has a 1 year motor warranty.

After seeing an infomercial on television for Turbo Jam with Chalene Johnson, I had to look it up and find out more about it.  According to the infomercial, you could burn up to 700  calories in 45 minutes.
The Turbo Jam program is set to some of the latest dance music and is a combination of kickboxing and body sculpting.  The DVD’s offered include the Learn and Burn instructional video with the introduction to the “Elite 11″ moves and this one is 30 minutes long.
Another DVD is called the Turbo Sculpt which emphasizes toning and firming for reshaping and working on problem areas of your physique.   There’s a video that is shorter called the 20 Minute Workout so you can fit it into a busy schedule.
The Cardio Party is a dance style workout that lasts 45 minutes.  The Ab Jam is, of course, directed to tone and firm your abdomen muscles.  Also included in the weight loss and muscle toning program is a set of flash cards with Chalene’s “Elite 11″ moves.  Online support is available for diet support and live chats.  A book is included in the program with meal plans for weight loss, a workout calendar and tips for dining out while watching caloric intake.
Other tools provided to help you succeed in achieving weight loss and inches lost are turbo sculpting gloves with a video called Punch, Kick and Jam designed for use with the gloves that lasts for 50 minutes.  The Turbo Slim rapid results program is a meal plan and measuring guides to assist you further to attain your goals.
The Turbo Jam Maximum Results package is available online for 3 monthly payments of $19.95 plus shipping and handling charges of $12.95.  The program states that it has a money back guarantee if not satisfied within 30 days.
As with any exercise program, there is a recommendation to consult with your physician about your level of fitness before beginning this program.   Workout reviews, both positive and negative, are plentiful and available online to read to assess this program for possible use.

I wouldn’t doubt it.  I love my Horizon elliptical machine.  Not only is it a smooth ride with no maintenance, but it feels extremely sturdy and professional to get on it.  It’s also quiet, and has just the right amount of features on it to not be too confusing, but also to be extremely efficient at getting the workout you want out of about a thirty minute session.

It’s funny, because a friend of mine was just telling me that she likes the treadmill better because the elliptical machine seems to hard for her.  I told her that I used to think an elliptical was one of the toughest cardio workouts I had ever had, and now I can whiz through a half hour on the thing with no thoughts.  Don’t get me wrong, some days it’s not “easy”, but it’s also not backbreakingly hard like it was when I first started.

It just goes to show that an elliptical provides a superior workout to the treadmill, because it’s easy on the joints, but it provides an excellent workout and burns tons of calories because you are in constant motion.  It also is great for women who don’t want to bulk up, but instead want that “dancer’s body” look.  That’s why I use my Horizon elliptical, because when I use other exercise equipment, it tends to bulk my legs up since I have a lot of muscle in my legs to begin with, and want to keep the feminine look.

Most of us promise ourselves we’ll start exercising and get fit. The hard part is following through, starting a fitness routine, doing it regularly and then staying with it persistently. While joining a gym is a wonderful idea, many of us don’t have the time or finances to exercise in this fashion.One way to avoid the list of excuses to sidestep exercising is to keep it simple. Perhaps you don’t have the money for expensive equipment or you feel self concious exercising in front of other people at a gym.

My boyfriend and I recently purchased a house together, and one of the first orders of business was to buy an elliptical trainer – more specifically, a Horizon elliptical machine because they’re reviewed so well, for our basement, especially since we no longer have a gym right across the street from us as we did in the complex where our old town house used to be.  We did go a few weeks without working out (yes we both feel like crap, and we’re never doing that again), because of the busy-ness of the move, and that’s also why I haven’t posted in like 3 weeks (sorry). 

We went to Dicks Sporting Goods, and ended up buying a Horizon elliptical trainer, which I believe to be the highest quality elliptical out there right now.  We went with a higher end model too, simply because I really didn’t like how the cheaper models did not give enough room for your foot on the pedals and also seemed to move a lot when you got on them and started working out.  We tested them out extensively, and ended up buying the Horizon E54.

We also bought a few rubber mats to go below the elliptical, which is a must, especially since all exercise equipment could potentially emit black dust and ruin your floor.  Not only that, rubber mats supply a firm surface for your elliptical, and they make for a smoother, more stable surface for the elliptical, making your ride smoother and less “wobbly”. 

The ride is great on this thing.  I had read that about Horizons in a lot of the home elliptical reviews, and it really is true.  It also has several programs, including the manual, which is my personal favorite so I can just tailor my workout to however I’m feeling that day.  It is very stable, and does not wobble.  I did notice a bit of a squeaking noise at first, but realized that was our fault, and we had to just jimmy a part in the workings of the machine and it was fine. 

It does start off a little tough, because if you think about it, the resistance is a little higher at first because the machine isn’t yet warn in, so you usually need to start off on your elliptical with a light setting, so you don’t kill yourself on the resistance being so tight for the first few months until you wear it in a little and it becomes a tad easier to ride. 

All in all, the Horizon elliptical was a great buy, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a solid, long lasting elliptical machine.