Most Fitness Professionals know that as every New Year approaches, people start to think about the importance of exercising as it relates to weight loss and overall health. Many New Year’s resolutions are made to start an exercise program or increase one’s level of physical activity anabolic steroids. According to International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), more than 12 percent of gym members join in January compared to an average of 8.3 percent per month for the full year. New gym memberships also show an increase in March as people start to focus on the way they want to look for the summer months.
As a Certified Fitness Professional that works as a Personal Trainer in a corporate gym, it is amazing to see how many gym members try to achieve their fitness goals on their own with little or no knowledge of sometimes even how to operate the machines they decide to use. Often times members rely on friends that they deem “in shape” or “fit” to help them reach the perceived level of fitness success they may have, with no real science behind their exercise routines or programming. What most people fail to realize is that the difference in a person’s body type can often have an effect on how their body responds to the same exercise done by someone else with a different body type.
Aside from consulting with a medical professional prior to starting any exercise program, it is also important that an initial fitness assessment be conducted by a Certified Fitness Professional. This assessment should take into account a person’s health, fitness background, current level of activity, previous injuries, surgeries, medications being taken and any limitations or specific recommendations given by a healthcare professional. These important aspects about a person are crucial to a Fitness Professional prior to any exercise program design. An “in shape” friend with no education or knowledge about a scientific approach to exercising will more than likely not do an initial assessment and could unintentionally coach their friend into a possible injury because of this neglect.
One day in January 2014, because the weather in Los Angeles was so nice, I decided to change things up and do an outdoors workout. As I was climbing the Culver City stairs at Baldwin Hills Scenic Park, I crossed paths with several groups of people working out together. There was a group of women that I passed by twice and the second time, one of the women was obviously not doing well. I watched from afar as four fire trucks and one ambulance made their way up the hill attempting to come to this woman’s aid. Although I didn’t find out exactly what happened to her, it appeared to be an example of a friend pushing another friend past her level of fitness. A classic example of why it is important to hire a Fitness Professional that will design an individualized program according to your fitness level and appropriate for you to have the success you desire.
Ensuring a tight fit by between connected pieces of tube is vital if we are to create a leak-free system. It’s not always easy though, to make the correct selection when it’s time to replace worn tube fittings. There are thankfully standard sizes. And there can also be huge variations in quality depending on the source. Some designs are intrinsically better and some materials better suited to exacting jobs.
Mixing alloys is to be avoided as anti corrosive qualities of tube fittings are vital to ensuring longevity in a system. There are a few manufacturers designing fittings with extraordinary ‘locking’ capacity according to stringent tolerances. Overall design and precision manufacturing is important. Consider the tube wall thickness and outside diameter when selecting fittings, as well as pressure, temperature, flow rate and site conditions.
Every tube fitting is designed to perform at its best within a given temperature range. The ability of the fitting to withstand media and ambient temperature variations will depend on the type of material used in its construction, the plating and the seal. Fittings comprising a lock, nut and ferrule made from high quality steel alloys provide a tight fit and are made in accordance with specific heat tolerances.
Keeping in mind the anticipated pressure of a gas or fluid system, the tube fittings chosen for a specific job must be at least equal to or preferably higher than expected pressure through the system. Pressure ratings are a measure of the ratio between the holding capacity of a joint’s design and the strength of the fitting. Making sure we know the normal operating pressure conditions and potential shocks a system may experience is the best gauge for selecting fittings that will hold under this pressure.
One of the most important considerations when choosing tube fittings to match requirements is the nature of the gas or fluid being carried within the system. Checking compatibility tables is helpful. Corrosion resistance is related to the gas or fluid media that is being transported. Protective coatings are usually applied to steel fittings to extend the life of the fitting in corrosive environments.
