How to Shop For Home Fitness Equipment
Unified Health is a national healthcare provider that emphasizes fitness. Maybe we don’t have the time or money for the gym, or we’re looking for other exercise options. Many of us are bringing our workouts home.
To get your home fitness center well-stocked, start with the basics and consider these three questions:
What do I really need?
What will I really use?
What can I really afford?
Keep things simple and PORTABLE! Here are recommended ways to start:
Do a Reality Check: Ask yourself if this is an impulse buy or a long-term commitment. Then shop
accordingly. Far too many use their treadmill as a clothes hanger while their weight machine gathers dust
in the garage. If you already exercise regularly and know you’ll use it, make an investment. If, on the other
hand, you’ve never made it to the gym past the first month of membership, start with something low-end
or used. See if you’ll stick with it before you break the bank.
Determine your budget: If money is no object, you’ll have no trouble finding top quality equipment at
sporting goods shops, home fitness equipment stores, or online. Talk with your certified fitness instructor
about what equipment is suitable for your needs. Check consumer review publications before you drop a
dime on home fitness equipment that’s all hype.
Fitness equipment like treadmills, elliptical trainers, step, and rowing machines are plentiful on craigslist.
com and in classified ads. Discount stores sell low-end, new models without all the bells and whistles for
low prices. Many gyms and fitness centers sell their used equipment when they buy newer models. Don’t
buy anything sight unseen. Step on it and make sure it works.
Strength training can be as affordable as resistance bands and hand weights or as expensive as a home
gym (ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars.)
All you really need for flexibility training is a spot on the floor to stretch out. Add a yoga mat, exercise ball,
and some straps if you’re feeling fancy, but make your investment in good yoga, Pilates, or flexibility DVDs.
Determine your space:
Do you really want a treadmill in your bedroom?
How inviting is a weight bench in a dark basement?
Will your garage provide a comfortable workout in the dead of winter?
Do you need equipment that folds up and tucks in a closet, or can you fill an extra bedroom?
Don’t purchase equipment you really can’t live with.