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Davina Foldable Magnetic Exercise Bike
by star2000
For several years I have been a member of a gym and enjoyed going to a number of classes and using the equipment. The cross trainer was always my favourite, with the bike a close second. However during the last year I found that I was managing to attend the gym less and less, the monthly subscription was increased and a few of the best ... instructors left, so I took the big decision to leave and try and exercise myself at home!
When choosing equipment to buy to use at home my biggest issue was a lack of space. Therefore I could not buy a cross trainer and thought that even getting a bike would be impossible as I did not have room to store it. However I then came across this folding exercise bike and my problems were solved!
I purchased the bike from Argos on offer for £79. This was a very good price and I argued to myself that it was a good investment as it would hopefully last for years and cost the equivalent of just 2 months gym membership. Getting the bike back was a bit tricky as it comes in a very large box and I only have a small Mini but eventually I managed to fit it in the car.
On unpacking the bike I immediately liked the design and appearance. It is white which looks quite feminine and fits nicely into the decor in my lounge so it does not look out of place. It was easy to set up by following the instructions and using the few tools provided and only took about 45 minutes to get it up a running.
The bike folds up via a pin which has to be released and then reinserted in one of the two different positions. I have found this a bit hard to get the hang of to begin with as sometimes it is a bit fiddly to line the two holes to fit it through but it is fine once you get the hang of it.
The seat is fully adjustable and I found it easy to find a height that was suitable for me. However I am quite small and I have read some reviews on other sites that say that it does not adjust high enough for taller people so this might be something to be aware of.
The bike comes with a monitor that you attach as part of the installation. You have to fit your own batteries. The monitor measure the length of time you have used the bike, your heart rate, distance and calories burned. This is the element of the bike that I think is the least effective. The time and distance measured is accurate but I do not think an accurate reading is always given for the heart rate and I can definitely say that an accurate reading is not given for calories burned. The reading is way too high and totally unrealistic although this might make you feel good (to think you have achieved more than you really have) is actually worthless so I now completely ignore it.
The bike has a number of resistance levels which really do work. I tend to start on level 2 and then gradually work up to level 3 and 4. I have never managed to get beyond level 4 but someone with more strength (I am only 5 foot 2 and about 8 stone) may well manage this. The resistance levels certainly give you a good workout and I sometimes use the bike with a spin DVD and am able to replicate some of the instructions given on the DVD by using the definite levels
The bike is really quiet when in use and this is helpful so you can listen to music or even watch the TV at the same time (although i find if i am doing this I don't really work out hard enough as I am too distracted) I would definitely recommend it for a good workout at home although clearly it is not as powerful as a machine at the gym would be
The only problem with the bike is for the owner (me!) to get round to using it! I aim to do this a least three times a week but often fail. Having written this review I now have no excuse not to remember to use it today!!
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Blitz Sport Elastic Hand Pads
by Bullydc1
Ive been boxing for over 4 years now, I teach others the basics and have competed in many tournaments competitor it is so essential to me to have access to equipment that is reliable and durable. I fight regularly throughout the year, and buying equipment can get so expensive and in this current economy constantly spending on new ... karate-wear just isn't much of an option!
There is allot around, especially in the martial arts fields that are Blitz branded but you find that although one manufacturer may specialise in a type of combat sport (Addidas for boxing) manufacturers are pretty much the same as the other. Blitz itself is a reliable brand, that has been around for some time so you know it should be a good buy.
The mitts themselves are of great quality, made up of very durable leather or PV (depending on how much you want to pay), leather is great but will split over a long period, PV will split very early but are cheaper. Splitting causes cuts on the opponant and is considered a faux-pas in the ring, you look to damage your opponant not by cheap gear, but by skill. These ones specifically are fabric based, OK for washing, but sweat and blood can degrade the material over time and I find that the knuckles get sand papered from the washing out of the more comfy fabric, leaving the tougher straindes behind...you find this with allot of boxing wraps too, but hey this only looks to toughern the knuckles up , so its all good. I think that Blitz like any good manufacturer looks to steadily and regularly improve its products range to make them more comfortable and effective, they now have sperate elasticated finger partings, making it more comfortable to use them, rather than the one big compartment they used to have. These mitts can be hand washed or machine washed...a rarity in sports manufacturers products such as mitts.
The mitts come in a variety of colours and sizes and in juniors for the kiddies. Any good combat sport enthusiast will tell you that white is the name of the game (I prefer black as it looks more bad-ass) , white is good because of all the psaring sessions, blood will stain the glove...nothing tells your opponant that you enjoy hitting people more then blood stained gloves...its not sadistic , its physcological, anything you can do to make the other guy doubt his ability to win is a bonus.
After 18 months the glove has expanded to fit my fist, the fabric is still relatively comfortable although it has lost that initial 'pillow' feel that you get with fabric gear, but this is totally typical and they still retain and look the shape and size they should be.
You can pick these bad boys up for little under a fiver on amazon
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Artengo Speedset T 610
by azana
If you've ever wanted to play tennis in your back garden, in a gym hall or on the beach then you might just love this pop-up tennis set as much as I and my family do. It's a great item that takes seconds to set up and not much longer to pack away when play is done, and it's well worth the £45 we paid for it. The net comes in a bag for ... easy transport, when the net is folded down it's 90cm long, so it's quite compact and surprisingly light, given that it also includes two junior size plastic bats and a couple of special soft tennis balls. It's a game in a bag.
Out of the drawstring carrier, and as per the video link at the end of this review which shows you better than I can explain it, the net unfolds into a flat pole and then you use a canvas pull so that it goes into the shape in the photo above. Within seconds you have a net which is nearly 3 metres long and 85cm or so high - there's a bit of leeway in these measurements depending on how tight you pull the canvas pull. It's an extremely clever and practical design, it's so easy to erect this net that a child can manage it. What's more, once made, the net is of playable quality, it has little feet on it so that it adapts to whatever surface you have it on and the build quality of everything, from the poles to the net itself is just excellent and stands up to the roughest of play. Of course you can play without a net and just a bat and ball but having a net really makes you feel like you are playing tennis properly and we find this net perfect for adults and children alike. As the net has two supports, it's self balancing and we've never had a problem with it toppling over, even with a direct hit to the net.
We've had many hours fun playing with this set and can get some quite good volleys going in the back garden, the bats are adequate for playing for fun and starting to learn the game. The hitting area on the bat is solid plastic and it has comfortable plastic grips; there's even a wrist strap at the end of them which is handy for the wii-generation - you slip the strap around your wrist for ease of use.
The set can be bought from amazon or direct from Decathlon and is part of a range of nets, you can also buy a badminton sized one and a longer taller net. We chose this one as we thought it would be a good starter set, which it has indeed proved to be. As well as using it for tennis, we've used it with badminton rackets too. The net may not conform to any tennis or badminton association standards but for what it is, a way of playing tennis of sorts any and everywhere I think it's pretty perfect. If it seems expensive it's worth thinking that it's in the same price range as many video games and likely to be much longer lived. This tennis set is a great way of getting active and enjoying sport indoors, we've used ours extensively and I think it's just a fantastic buy - highly recommended
Link to Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7phOMjYw4wk
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