I’ll be the first to admit that I spend more time online than is probably healthy. Although I try to compensate by working out frequently, it never seems to reach a state of equilibrium. I always sit around too much and exercise too little. But being online doesn’t have to be a completely unhealthy endeavor. There are currently many opportunities available to netizens who wish to keep their asses from getting out of control. Here are a few that I’ve been eying as of late. → Read More
Swimming is one of the best workouts one can get. Although running does burn calories a bit quicker, there is at least one distinct advantage to swimming: it produces virtually no impact. That makes it an appealing choice for those of us who don’t want to be crippled and arthritic by the time we’re middle-aged. As a techie, however, I’m faced with a slight dilemma whenever I don my speedo (I don’t wear the tiny one) and goggles. Water and electronics tend not to cooperate too kindly. Fortunately as gadgets advance, clever engineers have found ways to insulate electronics from watery deaths. We can now use our most important devices, our audio players, in the water with no risk to the unit. Let’s take a look at a few of the options now available to swimmers. → Read More
GPS is a technology with far more merits than simply helping you find your way around the city. It can also greatly augment your workout regimen — with the right equipment of course. While plenty of fitness oriented GPS devices exist on the market, Garmin has taken a considerable lead in this still nubile market. In this piece, we’ll take a look at two devices that have greatly enhanced my cycling and running capabilities. → Read More
It’s amazing where people will take their music player, but few activities are better suited to music listening than exercising. Whether you’re getting your exercise ya-yas out in the water, on dry land, on wheels, indoors, or out in the snow, there’s a product out there that can help you rock out while you sweat. Here’s a rundown of my favorite audio-related fitness products, broken down by activity. → Read More
Otaku Fitness Tassimo Premium Hands On Diablo PC: Ugly and Powerful, but Mostly Ugly SimpleWeather Skips The Clutter, Delivers The Goods International, Jet-setting Playboy? Use Flyclear → Read More
We’re geeks. We do things a little differently. And working out is no exception. Already we’ve learned a little bit about ways to get back into shape that are compatible with our nerd lifestyle, but what about making our lifestyle compatible with fitness? When we wear our shirts with wolves howling at the moon, it’s not to be hipster ironic, it’s because six years ago our one aunt who smells like Ben Gay gave it to us as a gift when she got it at the national park. (Thanks, Aunt Diane!) We have jackets with built-in iPod controls, combo coffee/oven/hot plates, and built our own media centers out of scavenged parts. We won’t wear the biker shorts or the World’s Gym shirt or the iPod arm holder thing. No, that’s not us. When we jog, bike, or lift, we’re going to do it our way, and there’s nothing they can do about it, short of pointing and laughing, which we’re used to. The jokes on them, too: that burns almost no calories. Here’s how we’re going to do it. → Read More
What is a coffee maker doing in our Fitness by CrunchGear coverage? Well, as “information workers” we probably drink more coffee than water. As a result, our health — and mood — can be adversely effected by the dark sludge that everyone makes in the break room. In fact, one office I worked at had some sort of “mad coffee maker” who added cinnamon to every pot. We never figured out who it was. Enter the Tassimo Premium coffee maker. In a nod to health, I will admit that the pitcher has a water filter to leach out the nasties, but otherwise, the machine just makes good coffee. → Read More
Barry Bonds will tell you: if you don’t take swings, you don’t hit home runs. In innovation, the same thing is rings true — you have to keep swinging until you hit a home run. In honor of Fitness Week, we’ll take a look at some of the leading fitness players, like Nike and Adidas, in terms of patented technology, and take a look into just how many swings they’re taking. The leaders and the rest of the pack after the jump. → Read More
Nautilus has been making Bowflex systems for about 20 years now — we’ve all seen the infomercials. Get the body you want in 60 days! Just 135 easy payments of $99.95 plus your soul and kidney. They’ve been on TV for as long as I can remember and if you’re like me, you’ve occasionally wondered whether or not there was any merit to the system. → Read More
I can tell you about what it’s like to be a guy who was once in shape and is not. When I was in my 20s, I was a slim yet hunky piece of man flesh. I had a defined jaw, broad chest, and a single chin. Now, however, at the beginning of my 30s, I find a second chin resting firmly between my face and neck. I do not like this chin, as it makes me look older than my real age. I also do not like that I’ve had to change my T-shirt size from Medium to Large. It is no secret that I keep from myself that I need to get back into shape. The research I’ve done on the perfect, lifestyle-compatible gear is what I am now going to share with you. I’m going to be honest at the onset here, though: I have about as much business telling you how to get into shape as I do telling you about the afterlife and morality. That means zero. But what I do know is gear, so while I may not have actually used most of the things in the following story, I can sure as hell tell you what will work and what won’t. That should be good enough for you. → Read More
Mmmmm… lube-y. I’ve been a runner since sophomore year in college. It was easy to take up and easy to do — just go in a straight line and don’t fall — and aside from a few years of Kenpo Karate and some bouts at the gym I did very little else in terms of real exercise. I felt happy that I could run two miles, come home, shower, and get on with my day. But I felt something was missing, and it was the challenge. → Read More
Indoor Fitness: Making the Most of the Great Indoors Pedal Power: Cycle Fitness Products Domo Robot Has Human-Like Eyes That Can Sorta See Create Beautiful 3D Landscapes With Your Pirated Downloads → Read More
Ideally we’d all live on a beach and spend our days taking in some rays. Unfortunately even when the sun is shinning there are times when we’re trapped inside. Quality of life can be affected by stale air, limited space and bad weather. But a good work out can help can change your mood. For those times when the sun isn’t shinning outside there are ways to stay fit, feel healthy and enjoy the great indoors. → Read More
Spring — if it actually ever really arrives — means it is time to get out of that cave you live in, get some fresh air and most importantly get back into shape. One way to drop that winter weight is to take a spin. Riding isn’t just for Lance Armstrong or the paperboy either. And even if spandex isn’t your thing, there are plenty of high-tech toys to play with while you rock out with pedal power. → Read More
Adobe Photoshop CS3 Ships Today: Keep Children Away From New Mascot Workouts On the Edge: Wacky Fitness Gear You Work it Girl: Women’s Fitness CrunchLunch: Chocolate Gadget Goodness Samsung (?) Concept PCs: The Future of Computers Looks Lame → Read More
There is the belief that doing anything that gets you off the couch will help you get back in shape. But the fact remains that any activity is usually a good thing and, as geeks, we don’t want run with the pack if we can help it. Thankfully, there are plenty of fitness products that have us scratching our heads and might make you stand out among the jocks. Some promise quick results with little effort (isn’t a workout supposed to be working out?), and others just seem like an accident waiting to happen. Here is a look at some unusual fitness products. N.B.: read the directions and always remember actual results may vary. → Read More
Let’s face it: Almost all fitness gear, from free weights to running shoes, is designed with men in mind. When companies make a “women’s version,” it’s usually clad in pink plastic. Well, today we’re taking back the gym and saying “No!” to Hello Kitty-themed treadmills. Here are some great women’s fitness gadgets to keep you running, biking and rolling. → Read More
We all love getting the latest, greatest electronic. I mean who doesn’t love unboxing a brand new Blackberry 8800 or HDTV? It’s almost as if the only way these objects could get any sweeter would be if you turned them into…chocolate! Yes, thanks to “Corporate Gift Showcase” and its lovely line of custom chocolate molds, you can now be eating a solid, milk-chocolate Blackberry with one hand and scarfing down a gooey, melting iPod with the other. But beware, you’ll probably end up paying more for the chocolate than the actual electronic-item it’s based on. Orders come in quantities of 100 to 1,000 or more and prices start around $3.10 a unit for a 2-ounce chocolate cellphone. This is clearly only for the fattest hungriest and richest of geeks. Official Site → Read More
Summer is around the corner and, although it may not look like it outside, you might soon want to walk on the beach with your shirt off and not have Greenpeace try to roll you back into the surf. That’s why CG is running a full set of fitness features — round-ups, advice, and great tech tips — to help you prepare for warmer weather. Let’s face it. The CG crew consists of a bunch of overweight, pasty dudes who blog in their pajamas. What right do we have to tell you how to get and stay fit this Spring? Luckily, we enrolled the help of a few fairly fit people and, since I’m running a marathon in June feel compelled to tell you what does and doesn’t work before you hit mile 10 with a broken iPod in your pocket. Read on and let’s all lose a few, feel better, and let the summer sun glint off of our oiled, muscled biceps. Whoa… did I just type that? → Read More
