(NAPSA)—Is there anything have TV screens can have them added, so at the ideal club, every that isn’t high-tech? Incredible advances in technology have infil- treadmill, bike, cross-trainer and stairclimber would offer exercisers the chance to watch programs of trated nearly every aspect of daily life. Now dishwashers sense how dirty dishes are and adjust the washcycle to suit the load size and the amount of food particles detected in the water; handheld devices track schedules, e-mails, phone calls and fantasy football; and TiVo makes it possible to watch endless episodes of “CSI: Miami”at 2 a.m., without commercials. While technology and fitness have long been partners, amazing strides have been made in this arena as well, with exercise equip- ment becoming just as high-tech as that smart dishwasher. Back when jogging was consid- ered trendy and home workouts meant popping a Jane Fonda video in the VCR,fitness equipment did a lot less than it does now. Whereas stationary bikes once were merely immobile versions of standard bicycles, one current model allows the user to change the workout on the fly without losing any resistance while monitoring his or her heart rate almost as accurately as an EKG. Certain treadmills let exer- cisers create a workout—making changes in speed, incline, level and target heart rate at any time—and then save it so the identical workout can be repeated. The key word in high-tech fit- their choice while workingout. It’s a vast improvement over squinting to read misspelled captions on the TVs at a distant corner of the room. Manyof these technologically advanced equipment features also ness equipment is interactive. Both at health clubs and at home, exercisers have new waysto con- trol their workouts and monitor their performance, which helps engage them in the process and make them more likely to stick with an exercise regimen. At the health club, many users seek out the equipment that monitors heart rates and self-adjusts automatically to maximize the efficiency of a workout. They use cardio machines that offer a multitude of program options, includ- ing workouts for specific training purposes, such as 5K and 10K runs. Numerous health club mem- berships were probably sold after prospective members saw Lifecy- cles equipped with LCD screens and headphonejacks for watching their favorite TV programs. Even those machines that don’t are available on home equipment, such as the new T9e treadmill from Life Fitness (www.lifefit ness.com). Like some health club models, it offers two ways to digitally monitor your heart rate along with programs that automatically adjust resistance to maintain specific target heart rates. It even comes with an advanced touch-screen LCD enter- tainment monitor with a built-in television receiver—a feature that might place it on numerous gift lists and liberate the family room TV forever. Technology continues to affect every facet of life, including making exercise more enjoyable and staying fit easier than ever. So whether you're in a health club or at home, put downthecell phone or the BlackBerry, grab some headphones and go get in a quick workout. And if you want to watch “Dr. Phil” while you're exercising, go ahead. With today’s technology, you can watch whatever you want.
