It would be wonderful to be able to get a good workout in four or five times a week.
Unfortunately, every day demands such as a job and family often prevent getting that much time for yourself.
What if you can only work out a few times a week at best? You know what, that is better than nothing and if you have a smart program and use your time wisely it can still do a lot of good.
Here’s a three-day workout program that will help you stay fit and trim and even add some muscle. Complete this program within a seven-day period, ideally getting a rest day in between each workout. It can be done, though, on back-to-back days if needed.
Here is my suggested combination of splits for your three-days-are-a-lot-better-than-no-days workout routine. I believe in it so much I’m doing this program myself right now because of a busy work and family schedule.
Day 1 – Chest, back, core exercises and cardio (30-45 minutes)
Day 2 – off
Day 3 – Shoulders, legs, core exercises and cardio (30-45 minutes)
Day 4 – off
Day 5 – Biceps, triceps, core exercises and cardio (30-45 minutes)
Day 6 – off
Day 7 – off
This is a good split workout, but it’s best left up to the individual to decide exactly which exercises they want to do to focus on each body part.
The workouts can go longer if you have more time to do cardio, such as running on the treadmill or using an elliptical machine.
I advise three sets of 8-15 reps for each body part.
You can go for some heavier weight, lower repetitions sets to build muscle and strength.
However, this three-day-week program is designed more for people with limited time who want to maintain their current physique, tone up some or lose weight.
Tomorrow I’ll give an example the lifts I do on my three-day workout plan.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

At Home Fitness wants to connect with you on Facebook.
Arizona’s biggest and best specialty fitness equipment chain will hold a drawing this Wednesday (Aug. 31) in which one lucky Facebook follower will win a $2,000 shopping spree.
3G Cardio, an industry leader in producing Accelerated Vibration Training and Treadmills, is a co-sponsor of this contest.
Just go to www.athomefitness.com and follow the contest link, or go to www.facebook/athomefitnessusa and click “Like.”
If you already “Like” At Home Fitness, you can still fill out an entry form to be entered for the contest by following the above links.
Although there will only be one winner, everyone will win in a sense because they’ll be able to follow via Facebook the many great deals offered by At Home Fitness.
People who “Like” At Home Fitness on Facebook will also be able to get regular tidbits and links to fitness blogs written by yours truly, which range from motivational tips, to equipment reviews and workout tips, to feature stories.
At Home Fitness is the best place to go to buy exercise equipment with the best reviews in Arizona.
At Home Fitness has five stores in Arizona: Scottsdale, 6969 E. Shea Blvd.; Ahwatukee, 14647 So. 50th St.; Chandler, 4320 W. Chandler Blvd.; Gilbert, 2810 S. Market St; and Desert Ridge, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix, 85050.
Anyone with questions about the $2,000 At Home Fitness shopping spree should call 1-888-940-1022.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Some people still sure aren’t sure where to buy the best specialty fitness equipment in Arizona.

If you are looking for quality fitness equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical machine, exercise bike, functional trainer or more, check out one of At Home Fitness’ five stores in Arizona.

The At Home Fitness Gilbert location at 2810 S. Market St. is a great place to buy fitness equipment if you live in Mesa, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Chandler or Gilbert, to name a few.

If you are wondering where to buy fitness equipment in Mesa, which has zip codes, 85201, 85202, 85203, 85204, 85205, 85206, 85207, 85208, 85209, 85210, 85211, 85211, 85213, 85214, 85215 and 85216, go to At Home Fitness Gilbert.

Fitness equipment for people in Apache Junction is available from At Home Fitness for Apache Junction zip codes of 85217, 85219 and 85220.

The Gilbert store is also a convenient location to buy fitness equipment for the Chandler zip codes 85224, 85225, 85226 and Chandler Heights 85227.

At Home Fitness is the place to go to buy exercise equipment with the best reviews and treadmills with the best reviews in Arizona.
Most people would rather buy a treadmill or other fitness equipment locally, where they get to try it out in person and talk with a qualified salesperson.

A commitment to quality, value and customer service have helped At Home Fitness continue to grow and take the lead for best specialty fitness equipment in Arizona.

At Home Fitness also has locations in Scottsdale, 6969 E. Shea Blvd.; Ahwatukee, 14647 So. 50th St.; Chandler, 4320 W. Chandler Blvd.; and Gilbert, 2810 S. Market St.

In addition, the specialty fitness giant is a leader in Internet sales, with shipping available to all over the country. To find some of the lowest fitness prices anywhere on the Internet, visit www.athomefitness.com

Anyone with questions about At Home Fitness’ Desert Ridge location or any of the equipment they carry should call the store at 480-513-1123 and speak with one of the trained fitness associates.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

There were not many specialty fitness stores for people looking to buy a treadmill or other fitness equipment in the North Phoenix and Northwest Phoenix area until today.
That all changed when At Home Fitness opened its fifth specialty fitness store Aug. 23. The At Home Fitness Desert Ridge Marketplace location at 21001 N. Tatum Blvd, Phoenix, 85050 has a great location to serve people in the greater Phoenix area.
If you are looking to buy fitness equipment in Arizona communities or cities such as Anthem, 85086; Cave Creek, 85331; Sun City West 85375; Peoria, 85383; Carefree, 85317; Deer Valley, 85028 and Glendale, 85301 make sure to check out At Home Fitness’ new Desert Ridge store.
At Home Fitness Desert Ridge is located off the 101 loop to Tatum. It’s next to Target and Connelly Billiards on the first entrance into Desert Ridge Marketplace.
The best treadmill retailer in Arizona and the Phoenix area, At Home Fitness also has great deals on elliptical machines, home gyms, exercise bikes, functional trainers and more. At Home Fitness is the place to go to buy exercise equipment with the best reviews and treadmills with the best reviews in Arizona.
To get a good quality elliptical machine, treadmill or other exercise equipment, make sure to stop in and visit the At Home Fitness Desert Ridge Marketplace location at 21001 N. Tatum Blvd, Phoenix, 85050.
Most people would rather buy a treadmill or other fitness equipment locally, where they get to try it out in person and talk with a qualified salesperson.
A commitment to quality, value and customer service have helped At Home Fitness continue to grow and take the lead for best specialty fitness equipment in Arizona.
At Home Fitness also has locations in Scottsdale, 6969 E. Shea Blvd.; Ahwatukee, 14647 So. 50th St.; Chandler, 4320 W. Chandler Blvd.; and Gilbert, 2810 S. Market St.
In addition, the specialty fitness giant is a leader in Internet sales, with shipping available to all over the country. To find some of the lowest fitness prices anywhere on the Internet, visit www.athomefitness.com
Anyone with questions about At Home Fitness’ Desert Ridge location or any of the equipment they carry should call the store at 480-513-1123 and speak with one of the trained fitness associates.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Some of the best upright exercise bike reviews I can give are for the following bikes, ranging through several different price points:
* LifeCore Fitness 1050UBs Upright Bike – The 1050UBs Upright bike sports a Compact Walk-Thru Design, 12 Preset Programs, 3 Heart Rate Control Programs, Comfortable Saddle with Micro-Adjustable Fore-Aft Seat Adjustment, Adjustable Handle Bars and much more.
At Home Fitness Sale Price: $999.00 save $200
* Life Fitness C1 Basic Exercise Bike – The Life Fitness C1 upright Lifecycle exercise bike harnesses the research and innovation that have made Lifecycle bikes No. 1 in health clubs worldwide. Incredibly convenient, quiet, and smooth, the Life Fitness C1 Bike is the perfect entree into the renowned family of upright Lifecycle bikes.
At Home Fitness Sale Price: $1,079.00 save $120
* Life Fitness Club Series Upright Bike – The Life Fitness Club Series Upright Lifecycle exercise bike takes on an instant familiarity. It’s the home version of their popular health club model exercise bike that has stood the test of time. The result of endless hours of biomechanical research, this innovative bike delivers superb product performance and the most natural, efficient upright riding position.
At Home Fitness Sale Price: $2,249.00 save $250
* LeMond RevMaster – The next generation LeMond RevMaster designed by cycling legend Greg LeMond offers you some great upgrades to the classic model. For maximum riding comfort, the new narrower crank design replicates the geometry of a great road bike. New Cam handles and increased adjustment ranges to seat and handlebars create the best custom fit available and gives you greater muscle involvement.
At Home Fitness Price: Check for current listing
As far as recumbent bikes go, some great choices are:
* LifeCore Fitness 850RBs Recumbent Bike – If you are looking for the best value in recumbent bikes, you have found it here. The LifeCore Fitness 850RBs is one of the smallest yet best feeling bikes you will find in this price range!
At Home Fitness Sale Price: $999.00
* LifeCore Fitness LC 1050RBs Recumbent Bike – The LifeCore Fitness LC 1050RBs Recumbent Bike is our pride and joy and has an all around outstanding design. At just 44″ long, the all new LifeCore Fitness LC1050 RBs bike has one of the most comfortable mesh back seat rests you will find on a home exercise bike, at any price point. The LifeCore Fitness LC 1050RBs Recumbent Bike is the second of LifeCore’s redesigns and the newest version of the best selling LifeCore Fitness LC 1000RBs.
At Home Fitness Sale Price: $1,799.00

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

At Home Fitness, Arizona’s No. 1 specialty fitness retailer, has announced the opening of its fifth store in the Phoenix metro area.
The At Home Fitness Desert Ridge Marketplace location (21001 N. Tatum Blvd, Phoenix, 85050) will open for business on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Take the 101 loop to Tatum to get to the store, which is located next to Target and Connelly Billiards on the first entrance into Desert Ridge Marketplace.
At Home Fitness co-owners Bryan Dorksen and Greg Feeder, who have more than 20 years experience combined in the fitness industry, said they had been trying to find a location to expand into Desert Ridge for several years.
“We’ve had our eye on this particular area because it’s a very desirable place to locate a business,” Dorksen said. “The Desert Ridge Marketplace draws people from a wide area.
“There’s not a very high turnover in the businesses located there and we are excited to be expanding there. We’re located next to several other specialty stores, such as Connelly Billiards. We‘re very excited for the grand opening Tuesday, and to be able to provide customers in the Desert Ridge area the same service we’re known for at our other locations.”
Dorksen said a commitment to quality, value and customer service have helped At Home Fitness continue to grow as a leader for sales of equipment such as treadmills, elliptical machines, home gyms, exercise bikes, free weights and much more.
“Being the specialty fitness leader in Arizona has enabled us to buy in bulk and receive exclusive pricing rights that allow us to offer the best deals,” Dorksen said. “We have exclusive rights to carry some of the top lines available.
“We also pride ourselves on having the most knowledgeable fitness consultants in the industry. Because of that, we’re able to offer the best customer service.”
At Home Fitness also has locations in Scottsdale, 6969 E. Shea Blvd.; Ahwatukee, 14647 So. 50th St.; Chandler, 4320 W. Chandler Blvd.; and Gilbert, 2810 S. Market St.
In addition, the specialty fitness giant is a leader in Internet sales, with shipping available to all over the country. To find some of the lowest fitness prices anywhere on the Internet, visit www.athomefitness.com
Anyone with questions about At Home Fitness’ Desert Ridge location or any of the equipment they carry should call the store at 480-513-1123 and speak with one of the trained fitness associates.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

Upright stationary exercise bikes have been around a long time and look like the bikes we grew up riding on. They have no back support and are a great way to work out the legs, especially the quads.
For avid outdoor cyclists, during the cold months they’re the next best thing to riding outdoors.
Upright bikes are also a great way to warm up before a workout, cool down and-or get a cardio workout on.
To more and more people, though, recumbent bikes are the popular choice.
You get a lot more support from a recumbent bike, which offers a back rest with curved lower-lumbar support and puts more emphasis on the hamstrings.
If you have had any back trouble, a recumbent bike might be the best choice because of its added support. When choosing a stationary bike, comfort is a big key.
For many people who are way overweight a recumbent is a great way to start the process of trimming down. You can get a cardio workout on it without putting much stress on the back and joints.
Each type of fitness bike has its pros and cons depending on your riding preferences and fitness goals. Whatever type of exercise bike you decide on, make sure you test ride a variety to make sure you’ll want to use it.
Some people feel the recumbent fitness bike is more ergonomically and bio-mechanically correct because of its frame and handlebar design:

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

When it comes to setting up a home gym, or just buying your first piece of exercise equipment, there are many factors to consider.
Two of the most important, probably in this order, are:
1. Will you use it? and 2. Cost.
It doesn’t make much sense to spend hard-earned money on something you aren’t going to use.
Once you determine what piece of equipment you want, then start shopping around for prices and options.
For many people, one of the most popular purchases is a home exercise bike. There are upright bikes and recumbent bikes.
Exercise bikes put less wear and tear on your legs than running on a treadmill. You won’t burn quite as many calories as running in the same amount of time, but exercise bikes still offer the chance to get consistently good workouts.
Many exercise bikes come equipped with numerous workout options that will keep you from getting bored even though you’re in a stationary position.
They come programmed with numerous biking workouts, ranging from different courses that require sprints, interval training, pedaling downhill and uphill.
You can do all this without manually having to keep pressing buttons and changing options.
If you want to be surprised, select a random options course that will keep you ready for anything.
Another nice feature of a home exercise bike is that you can control the environment in your home.
You can set up a TV in front of the bike, or listen to the stereo. On many bikes it’s possible to have a rack set up to read the newspaper, or a book, or magazine.
Studies show on average that people burn 750 calories per hour on a treadmill, compared to 550 on an exercise bike.
That can be a little misleading, though, because for many people it’s much easier to keep up a good pace longer on an exercise bike than a treadmill.
So in the long run, you may be capable of burning more calories on a bike.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com

If you’re looking to get back into shape, or break out of an exercise rut, it may be time to get back on the exercise bike.
There have certainly been a lot of high-tech pieces of exercise equipment to come along since the exercise bike became a popular household item.
However, despite all the advancement few pieces of equipment can offer better results for a large section of the population that the exercise bike.
Maybe you still have one stashed in the garage, attic or back of a bedroom that could be re-conditioned and put back into use.
Or maybe it’s time to go to a quality fitness store and get a new exercise bike. You can choose bikes from the simple to the high-tech, complete with video screens to map out courses.
When you’re beginning an exercise routine, it’s important to find something you enjoy and is easy to do. That’s what makes the stationary bike or recumbent bike an ideal choice, especially for the novice exerciser or someone with back, knee, or joint problems that make running or walking more difficult.
A stationary exercise bike is very easy on the joints, and also easy to use compared to say a treadmill or elliptical machine. There are two main variations of exercise bikes:
Upright exercise bikes look more like bikes we grew up riding, while recumbent bikes put riders in a more reclined, ergonomically correct position and are gaining in popularity. See more on the differences between these styles later this week:
Having a bike indoors can also offer great freedom to ride when you want and also stay out of the elements. You can ride watching TV or listening to music, day or night.
Even for highly fit individuals, an exercise bike can still be a great way to get loose, change up the cardio routine or cool down.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com