Infrared Sauna Versus a Steam Sauna

22 Fitness Tips & Trends for 2022

December 14, 2021

January is a time for new beginnings and for many, resolutions to get healthy and fit in the new year. While we love a good New Year’s resolution, we understand how difficult they can be to maintain, especially if you don’t have gym equipment in your home. Research indicates that those who have gym equipment accessible to them in their homes are more likely to succeed in maintaining a fitness routine and keeping their resolutions. Here’s some reasons why building a gym in your home can help you keep your resolutions all year long! Gyms Get Crowded Let’s face it, gyms are crowded, especially the first few months of the year. Instead of waiting in line for equipment to work out or feeling the pressure of having to limit your time on machines, why not workout in the comfort of your home? With a home gym, you never have to worry about waiting for a machine, limiting your time or working out in a crowded facility. It’s More Convenient When it comes to keeping resolutions, convenience goes a long way in ensuring you maintain them. Similarly, the convenience of working out in your own home will help you keep those resolutions to get fit and work out regularly. Having to pack a gym bag, drive to the gym, change your clothes and dedicate all that extra time can make creating and maintaining a gym routine difficult. Having a gym in your own home makes it easier and will keep you accountable. You Can Choose Your Own Equipment Choosing the right equipment for your home gym comes down to your individual fitness goals. For example, if building muscle is your goal, an adjustable weight bench paired with a free weight set and weight bar is a great place to start. If slimming down is part of your New Year’s resolution, kettlebells are ideal because they give you the benefits of both strength training and a fat-burning cardio workout. However, if you prefer a home gym setup that can provide a whole-body, a corner leverage gym might be best suited for your new gym. When choosing which setup to purchase for your home gym, there’s a few additional factors to consider. How much space you have will impact the type of equipment you can purchase, as will your budget. Our gym consultants at Expert Fitness Supply can assist you in determining the best configuration of equipment for your space, and what will work best within your budget. Finding a Workout Routine and Sticking To It: You’ve probably heard that one of the biggest mistakes you can make when beginning a workout routine for the first time is biting off more than you can chew. Whether you are working out in your new home gym or a commercial facility, this is something to consider. When deciding on and building a new fitness routine, it’s important to recognize a few things such as your personal goals, your current fitness level and even a projected timeline for meeting those goals. If you’re a beginner who is looking to build muscle, be sure to stick to the basics at first, keeping a fairly light but consistent workout routine. As a beginner, you’ll need to give your muscles plenty of time to rest and should consider lifting no more than 3 times per week at first. Creating your own home gym can not only help you achieve your New Year’s resolution goal, but it can help you achieve a whole new and healthier lifestyle overall.To make your home gym safe and space efficient, Expert Fitness Supply offers durable strength and cardio equipment perfect for any home gym setup. We also offer a variety of home gym packages that make it easy to get started with the right training equipment at a great price that will actually save you money in the long run when compared to the long-term price of a gym membership

Why Having a Home Gym Will Help You Keep Your New Year Resolution Past January

January 11, 2022

December 21, 2021

Are you considering getting a sauna for your home, but aren’t sure where to start? In this article, we explain the difference between a traditional steam sauna and an infrared sauna and cover all the things you need to consider when buying a sauna for your home.

What is a Sauna?

A sauna describes any heating system intended to create profuse sweating. There are lots of different types available from traditional steam saunas and steam rooms heated with hot stones through to infrared therapy saunas.

There are four diverse types of saunas:

Traditional or regular sauna (also called ‘Finnish sauna’ or steam sauna)
Dry sauna
Steam bath or Turkish bath
Infrared therapy sauna

Traditional saunas and infrared therapy saunas are the most common for home use. These saunas can be custom-designed or pre-built, and can be installed indoors or outdoors. Pre-built saunas are usually portable, generally more cost-effective, can be easily installed, and come in a range of styles and sizes.

Difference between steam and infrared saunas

On the surface, traditional steam saunas and infrared saunas seem to be pretty similar. While they both work to re-energize and relax the body – there are some key differences you should know about before making a decision on which one to buy. Once you know more about these differences you’ll be able to weigh the pros and cons for yourself and make the best decision based on what’s right for you.

Traditional Sauna Pros and Cons

Traditional Sauna Pros

Provide an authentic sauna experience: With their hot and steamy environment, traditional saunas are much closer to the original Finnish saunas. If you prefer a sauna without high heat and steam then this is a definite plus.
Humidity control: With a traditional sauna, you can adjust the humidity by using more or less water.
Outdoor use. Traditional saunas are great for outdoor use even in very cold climates.

Traditional Sauna Cons

They take longer to heat: Traditional saunas generally take about 30-45 minutes to heat up. Conversely, infrared saunas are ready to use in about 10-15 minutes.
Shorter sessions: Due to the high heat, a typical session ranges from 10-15 minutes.
Higher operating costs: Traditional saunas cost significantly more to operate than infrared. In fact, the operating costs can be as high as two to three times more than infrared saunas.
Installation costs: Steam saunas need to be professionally installed and plumbed in by a professional, which also significantly increases the overall cost.

Infrared Sauna Pros and Cons

Infrared Sauna Pros

Faster heat-up time: Infrared saunas are ready to use in just 15-20 minutes, much faster than traditional saunas which take about 30-40 minutes to heat up.
Cheaper running costs: Infrared saunas cost approximately half as much to run when compared to traditional electric saunas.
Longer sessions: Because the air temperature is lower, you can stay in an infrared sauna longer – a session can be as long as 30-40 minutes.
Health benefits: Due to the way infrared works and the fact you can stay in longer, the health benefits are then increased.
Easy to install: A pre-built infrared sauna can be installed fairly quickly, and once it’s set up you can simply plug it in!
No venting required: Since they are a dry heat and do not have steam, infrared saunas can be used indoors without the need for venting.

Infrared Sauna Cons

No humidity: This could actually be a pro or a con, depending on your individual preferences. If you prefer the steamy environment of a traditional sauna, a dry sauna could be a deal-breaker. However, if you prefer your saunas on the dry side, then the lack of humidity is a bonus.
Limited outdoor use: Infrared saunas and are not suited to extremely cold outdoor climates. They can however, be installed outdoors under a shelter.

Infrared or Steam Sauna?

Choosing which type of home sauna to buy depends on what you’re looking for which will best meet your needs. While traditional steam saunas provide what many consider to be a ‘true’ sauna experience – they tend to be more expensive, have higher running costs, and require more maintenance than infrared alternatives. At Expert Fitness Supply, we love infrared saunas as our choice of sauna (even Joe Rogan loves infrared saunas!). From the lower costs to increased health benefits, we feel an infrared sauna is truly a win.