Aug
20

Recommended Home Fitness Equipment Guide

Author: editor Cat: Football

There are a lot of excuses that can keep you from going to the fitness centre regularly: it’s too far, there’s no time, the amount of training is confusing …

If any of those sound familiar, it may be time to consider looking into home exercise equipment.

In the last few years, the home exercise equipment has soared, with advances in technology and mechanics that permit you to get a great workout without leaving the company of your home. And with so much competition among producers and designers, costs have dropped significantly.

However, with so much equipment to select from, it can be difficult to make sure you’re getting the best equipment for the results you’re after. The list below can help you make wise choices when you go shopping.

Topping the list is an item which is so small and so inexpensive, really no home gym should be without one: the skipping rope. It may have seemed like fun and games when you jumped rope as a child, but really, you were engaging in an exercise with astonishing cardiovascular benefits, which also incorporates balance and agility training, as well. You can take it with you to work and on holiday, and it’s a great piece of gear to use in between sets of weight reps or between machines in circuit training.

Looking for a whole body workout? A rowing machine is a good place to kickoff. Using both the upper and lower areas of the body to accomplish a good aerobic workout, rowing machines are relatively compact and can fit in almost any available space.

Treadmills and elliptical trainers are effective investments for your home gym, since they offer both cardiovascular and strength workouts, with relatively low impact. Elliptical trainers have less impact than treadmills, but are usually less portable than treadmills, where many models are offered that can fold up to be stored away in a corner of the room when not in use.

Or consider a stationery bike. These also offer cardiovascular exercises with relatively low impact, and are an especially effective choice for a man or woman just beginning to exercise, and for those who are overweight. Recumbent bikes offer better lower back support and cause less stress on the knee joint. These bikes focus more on the muscles of the butt and legs in their cardio workout.

Consider a step machine for an aerobic workout that targets the lower body while minimizing impact. These machines can be relatively more expensive than treadmills and elliptical trainers, however.

And don’t go past resistance equipment to add a strengthening component to cardiovascular and aerobic routines. Options include traditional free weights, with or without weight benches, and resistance machines, which typically use bands to achieve resistance, and offer a more controlled workout which can be less likely to cause injury than free weights. Medicine balls are another effective resistance option.

Finally, consider adding an inflatable exercise ball and a few padded weights to your equipment shopping list. The ball is a great way to improve balance and coordination, and can combine with traditional crunches and other exercises to give your core muscles a great workout. And you’ll really appreciate those yoga mats when you’re doing crunches and other routines that require you to be in contact with the floor.

One of the good things about home exercise equipment is that you can make purchases and expand your gym as you can afford it, and add specific equipment to address the individual results you’re looking for.

And if you already belong to a gym, a home gym is a great complement, offering you an option for days when you can’t take the time to visit the gym and allowing you to work in small routines between other activities.

So, pack away your excuses. With greater options and lower costs, there’s no reasons NOT to consider adding some home fitness equipment to your next shopping trip.

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