jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

If you are like most people, you have worked out on a treadmill, elliptical, stair stepper and exercise bike.  What is the one thing all of those machines have in common?

Helix H1000 Lateral Trainer

They use your muscles in a front to back pattern which targets a certain mix of your muscle groups.  It may be time to try something new, something different.  Something LATERAL?

Have you ever done a defensive slide drill in basketball?  How about speed-skating or downhill skiing?  Nothing lights your legs on fire like lateral movement.  Equipment manufacturers are now bringing lateral to the options in cardio equipment.

In testing, they have shown amazing muscle activation to the glutes, core, inner and outer thighs – which are all target areas for those who want to lose weight and look good. Helix is even offering a promotion for the month of January – they are so sure you will love the lateral movement of the Helix Trainer, and they are so sure you will need a new wardrobe, that they are backing it up with a $50 Macy’s gift card with purchase of the H1000 and $100 for the HLT3000.

We are also offering special 12 month 0% interest during the promotion! Come in and try one today…or for more info on lateral training, visit http://www.helixco.com/lateral-training/  

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

It is always our goal to sell the best products at the best price everyday.  This year many of our products have received recognition as the best product.  Here is a complete list of the awards from Fitness Professor Reviews 2014 including links!

Treadmills:
Bodyguard T460xc – Best Treadmill Any Price Range
Bodyguard T280PO – Best Treadmill under $4500
Landice L-7 Pro Trainer – Best Treadmill under $4000
Vision Fitness T40 Elegant – Best Treadmill under $3500
SportsArt T611 – Best Treadmill under $3000
LifeSpan TR3000i – Best Treadmill under $2000
Vision Fitness T10 – Best Treadmill under $1500
LifeSpan TR200 – Best Treadmill under $1000
LifeSpan Treadmill Desks – Best Treadmill Desks Any Price Range

Elliptical Trainers:
Octane Q47ci – Best Elliptical under $5000
Octane Q47c – Best Elliptical under $4500
Vision Fitness S7200HRT – Best Elliptical under $4000
Octane Q37ci – Best Elliptical under $3500
Octane Q37c – Best Elliptical under $3000
Octane Q35c – Best Elliptical under $2500
Vision Fitness X40 Classic – Best Elliptical under $2000
Vision Fitness X10 – Best Elliptical under $1000

Cross Trainers:
Octane LateralX – Best Cross Trainer Any Price Range
Octane xR6ce – Best Cross Trainer under $4500
Octane xR6e – Best Cross Trainer under $4000
Octane xR6 standard – Best Cross Trainer under $3500
BodyCraft R25 Recumbent – Best Cross Trainer under $2000

Recumbent Bikes:
Bodyguard R9x – Best Recumbent Bike Any Price Range
Bodyguard R6x – Best Recumbent Bike under $2500
BodyCraft R25 Recumbent – Best Cross Trainer under $2000
Vision Fitness R10 – Best Recumbent Bike under $750

Upright Bikes:
Bodyguard V9x – Best Upright Bike under $2500
SportsArt c521u – Best Upright Bike under $2000
Vision Fitness U20 Elegant – Best Upright Bike under $1500
Vision Fitness U20 Classic – Best Upright Bike under $1000

Indoor Cycles (Spin Bikes):
Relay Fitness EVOcx – Best Indoor Cycle under $2000
Relay Fitness EVOix – Best Indoor Cycle under $1500
Waters Tsunami Pro – Best Indoor Cycle under $1250
LifeSpan S2 – Best Indoor Cycle under $750

Best Rower:
BodyCraft VR500 – Best Rower under $2000

Home Gyms and Functional Trainers:
Vectra VX-FT 2-Stack – Best Functional Trainer under $6000
Vectra VX-FT 1-Stack – Best Functional Trainer under $4500
Torque Fitness F7 – Best Functional Trainer under $4000
BodyCraft PFT – Best Functional Trainer under $3500
Tuff Stuff SPT-6 – Best Home Gym under $3000
Torque Fitness F1 – Best Functional Trainer under $1500
Torque X-Rack Warrior – Best Rig/Rack System under  $750

That is a ton of recognition in many different categories and price levels.  Come shop with us to buy the best!
www.nwfitnessportland.com

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

Sales Director

We offer a BEST PRICE GUARANTEE! That means if you find a lower price on the exact same product, we will match or beat the price! Plus, the fact that we are local and offer service, you can rest assured that you will have the best ownership experience possible if there is ever a problem with your equipment.

We offer our products at our best price EVERY DAY, and GUARANTEE the BEST PRICE for 30 days after you make your purchase, so you can be sure you are making a great decision!

When you come into our store, we can show you all of the equipment options. We let you try the equipment with a knowledgeable salesperson to assist you in finding the best product for your needs. Once we have found the best product, we are happy to search the internet with you to make sure you are getting the best price!

In the market for a new piece of fitness equipment for your home or business? Visit our store today!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

If you are shopping for a treadmill, you will surely hear how important the motor is to the performance and durability of the product you are going to purchase.  You will commonly hear that you must have a 2.5 or 3.0 “Continuous Duty” motor.  The fact is HORSEPOWER ratings can be misleading.  There is no regulation on how horsepower is rated on treadmills.

Take these two treadmills for example: The Vision Fitness TF-20 vs. the Sole F65.  The Vision motor is rated at 2.75HP while the Sole F65 is rated at 3.25HP.  The Vision motor weighs 4 times what the Sole does and is physically larger by quite a bit.  On top of that, the Vision rating is taken at 3200RPM while the Sole rating is at 7720RPM.  This means that they took the rating on the Sole while working twice as hard as the Vision.

Vision Fitness Drive System

You can make a smaller motor give you more horsepower by winding it up to a higher RPM, but it will pull more power and wear out faster.  Since both companies offer a lifetime motor warranty, you may think this to be irrelevant – except when you look at the parts warranty.  Vision offers 5 years parts, and Sole offers 3.  The part that is most likely to fail due to high power draw on the motor is the lower electronics board – this is the brain of your treadmill.  It takes the power from the wall and supplies the motor with the power to make the treadmill give you the speed you want it to run at.  When it is running high levels of power and surging for your footfalls, it is heating up – and we all know that heat is the enemy of anything electronic.

So with that being said, it is obvious that the Vision Fitness motor is a better quality motor, and will help the other components to last longer as well.  The motor is the most expensive part of your treadmill and the combination of HORSEPOWER and RPM that the reading is taken at will give you a good indication of the quality level.  Other things you can check are the physical size and weight of the motor.  Typically the bigger and heavier, the better the motor.  Don’t be fooled by companies that try to “out-spec” their competition by giving unrealistic Horsepower ratings at high RPM.  Go to a store with a knowledgeable staff that can help you determine your needs, and find the right product to fit. In fitness equipment, as with most things, you get what you pay for – so buy quality for the best ownership experience.

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By: Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

Bodyguard "imagine" iPad app

One of the biggest hurdles to sticking with any workout program is boredom.  Keeping the user entertained and maximizing results are the two biggest factors in sustaining a solid workout plan.  Once you have made the decision to buy equipment for your home, you are on your way to success!  New technology in one brand of treadmills is making workouts fun again – and their iPad integration makes it impossible to run out of fun things to do while working out.

Bodyguard fitness has just launched the “imagine” iPad app for their treadmills.  This is not simply a docking station that will charge your iPod and play music, but a fully integrated treadmill control panel app that utilizes the many great features we already use on the iPad everyday and allows for maximum multitasking and fantastic reporting on workout results too!

Studies have shown that we are now spending more time than ever on the internet.  Just recently the statistics have changed to be more on mobile devices and more time using apps than using web browsers.  The iPad dominates the tablet computer market and has more apps than any other competitive product.  The ease of use and great features give iPad users unlimited options when it comes to entertainment.  You have true entertainment options like movies, YouTube, and streaming live sports; you have social media like facebook, twitter, and pinterest; you have email, internet, games, and even interactive exercising apps that give you that “on the trail” outdoors experience like Virtual Active.

So now that you know that the entertainment options are are unlimited, let’s talk about the “imagine” app and how it can help you reach your fitness goals!  The first thing you notice about the app is the ease of setting up your user profile.  You enter your name, weight, age, etc and even snap a quick pic of yourself and you are ready to go.  Now each time you use the treadmill, just select your profile and you are logged in for history, data, and custom settings.  Setting up programs is a snap.  Each program has a brief description of what the intended use is.  Find the one you want and follow the prompts to customize the speed, elevation, heart rate and you are on your way!  Upon completing your workout, the data is saved so you can easily replicate the program you just did the next time you want to do it.  A data export allows for easy charting and graphing of performance to make sure you are reaching your fitness goals.  For more details, check out this quick video, then head on into the store for a live demo!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

Looking for the latest equipment that you can pack up and take to the park this summer?  Then you’ve got to check out the Human Trainer Versatility Kit by Astone Fitness.

The Human Trainer utilizes your bodyweight as resistance to perform nearly any exercise you can imagine.  You can easily adjust the intensity of the exercise by changing your body position to make the movement more or less aggressive.  Check out this video for a glimpse at some of exercises that you can perform using the Human Trainer:

Best of all, the Human Trainer Versatility Kit is in stock now.

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

Kettlebells

Looking for Cross-Fit type products for use at your home?  We have them!  We are now carrying bumper plates, squat stands, olympic bars, kettlebells, pullup bars, pullup assist bands, medicine balls, plyo-boxes, and more!  Come to the store and check out the best local selection of these items!  Don’t forget to “like” us on facebook for a money saving coupon on these items!

Huge selections of products in stock and ready for you to take home.  No need to wait or pay shipping!

Bumper Plates

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

The Bodyguard T460XC has won the Fitness Professor “Head of Class” any price range for the last 2 years in a row.  Let’s take a look at what makes this treadmill a superior choice to some of the other big names in the industry:

The first things you notice when you walk up to the Bodyguard T460XC are the ergonomics and attention to detail.  This treadmill just sets up a little better than most, and was well thought out for runners especially.  The contact heartrate sensors are put in an ergonomically correct position.  The navigation keys you use the most are right there for you to use – and they are made of more costly and durable silicone keys. The hand rails are set wide so you don’t have to worry about banging the back of your hand when you are running.

The console is easy to read and well lit.  The information is all displayed, and it is intuitive to get to the program you want.  There are several “hot keys” for instant elevation and speed changes and even an “a”/”b” for two customized speeds allowing simple one touch intervals (no more trying to depress the speed down arrow while sprinting at 9 mph!)  My favorite program is the “Turbo Training” which offers an extreme sprint interval.  With this program, it only takes a couple seconds to go from 3.5-9mph.  With most treadmills that takes 20-30 seconds to get up to speed.  “Turbo Training” allows for true intervals with an outdoor running accelleration.

T460XC

The nuts and bolts begin with a solid X-Frame design that reduces torsion and flex coupled with the BDS+ cushioning system.  You will find the most stable, solid feel of any treadmill with this system.  The T460XC is equipped with a premium orthopedic belt and 4 way deck for optimum feel and durablilty.  The oversized 22″x60″ running area allows ample room for even taller runners.  If you are training for outdoor running, the elevation system allows for a -3% to 15% grade for the ultimate range of training more closely mimicking your 5K or 10K course.

The 3.4HP palladrine motor and drive electronics perform great, even for heavy users up to 400lbs.  The ESC (electronic stride control) system keeps the belt moving at exactly the right speed, even when in use at extreme elevations with heavy users.  The best part about the T460XC is their smart AFDS (advanced friction detection system) which monitors the amp draw and lets you know when it is time for maintenance.  That way you won’t burn up your components and it is based on a real monitoring system, not just a time or mileage estimate.  Because of this system, Bodyguard offers the best warranty in the industry – Lifetime Parts, 3 Years Labor!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

As Black Friday approaches and most retailers are getting ready to spend tons of money on advertising, absorb the additional overhead to be open odd hours, and show huge discounts – it brings up an important question: What is an MSRP?  Is it really a price that the product was ever sold for?  Is that 50% off really a half-price “deal”?  Is it worth getting up at midnight to shop ’till you drop?  Does it really make sense that stores are spending more money to get you to shop with them, while making less profit?  Let’s take a look at the reality of it all…

MSRP is an acronym for Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price.  It is the basis on which most retailers show a savings when an item is on sale.  It was created to standardize pricing and offer consumers an insight into what the value is of the product they are buying.  Unfortunately, MSRP’s can be easily manipulated by manufacturers to make their products look like they are a great savings to help the retailer sell more of their products.

In fitness equipment, there are not high margins like there are in electronics, clothing and jewelery.  If anyone is offering more than 10-20% off, it is simply an artificial MSRP.  Many of the companies in fitness equipment have gotten wise to what consumers are seeing in other products.  Why fight it, just blow the MSRP into the stratosphere so the retailer can show a huge discount.  The margins required to run a business and offer services to consumers have not changed.

So the reality has become – most products are not sold at MSRP.  The brands you find in big box retailers showing MSRP $1299 Sale Price $499 would never sell at $1299.  Heck, they shouldn’t sell at $499 but the artificial MSRP makes you think you are getting a deal, and you might get suckered into buying it. Do you really think they are making less profit on that sale, really?  Of course they are making profit – and at their normal operating margins, otherwise they would go out of business!!!

Fitness equipment is specialized.  If you plan to use it, you need to buy quality.  If you want it to last you need to buy quality.  Quality products do not sell for the same price as cheap ones.  What you really need to determine is the VALUE of what you are purchasing.  What is the price you are paying, and is the product a value at that price relative to other products in the marketplace?  Is a product at that price-point going to meet your needs?  Is it going to be durable?  Is it going to perform the way you expect?  What are you going to do if it ever has a problem?

These are all questions that are much more important than what is the percentage discount you are receiving off the MSRP.  Come check out our products.  Our products are on display for you to use prior to purchasing.  The quality speaks for itself – and we offer delivery, assembly and service by experienced technicians who have done it many times before.

So before you fall into the trap of thinking 50% off is a great deal, think about this: Would you ever consider buying that product at the MSRP?  If not, then it probably isn’t really a “deal”.

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

You have decided it is time – time to take back your life and get back into shape.  You have decided it’s time for some real fitness equipment at home.  If you are serious about using the products you buy, let me give you the top 5 reasons why you should buy from a specialty dealer near you!

1. Your specialty dealer offers a wide variety of equipment that you can try before you buy!  That’s right – bring your shoes and come ready to put the equipment through the paces to make sure the machine(s) you select are right for you.
2. Your specialty dealer offers knowledgeable sales staff to answer your questions.  Unlike many big box shopping experiences, you will have someone who really knows their stuff help you with any questions you have about the equipment you are trying out.  That way, you are sure to get the right machine for your needs!
3. Your specialty dealer offers delivery and installation options.  These are things that are typically not offered or outsourced to a third party delivery company.  At your specialty dealer you are getting installation by true professionals who have done it many times before.  That way you know the equipment will be set up right!
4. Your specialty dealer offers quality brands that are not just disposables.  The brands sold at specialty fitness stores are much higher quality that the products found at mass merchants.  They perform more like gym quality equipment and the manufacturers support the products with replacement parts long after the warranty has expired.
5. Your specialty dealer offers service after the sale.  If  you do have a problem with your equipment, you simply call the store and talk to someone who is knowledgeable about your machine.  Then a trained technician can come to your house and perform any needed adjustments or repairs.

Wide selection of equipment to try before you buy!

While most shoppers never think about the long term, it is probably the most important part of your buying experience.  At Northwest Fitness we strive to offer the best products, best value, a welcoming try before you buy atmosphere, and the highest level of customer service during and after the sale.  Those are things you will NEVER find at a big box store or on the internet!  Come see us today…