There’s no better investment that you can make, than into your health. The benefits of buying exercise equipment for your home gym is a great way to save time and money.
But like any other investment, you’ll want to do your homework by researching the best in class based upon what you can afford.
To be more specific, you’ll want to consider things like your space availability, power source and budget.
The following are 10 helpful tips to help you choose the best cardio exercise equipment for your home gym.
Let’s jump right in…
TIP 1: Stick With The Basics
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when choosing exercise equipment, you should limit your choice to machines that mimic real life movements like treadmills or stationary bikes. There’s no need to invest in complicated equipment, especially when you’re first starting out. Unfortunately, a lot of those pricey contraptions end up being clothe hangers collecting dusk. Keep in mind, that you can always upgrade later.
TIP 2: Size Up Your Space
If you have a very limited amount of space, it is best to consider equipment that fits easily into tight quarters like an exercise bike. Some machines can be folded for better and compact storage, but do you have a designated area to use your fitness equipment?
TIP 3: Consider The Location
If you prefer watching TV while doing cardio exercises, add at least another 8 feet in your space estimate. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with catching up on your favorite programs, especially if this type of environment helps you to remain consistent with your exercise routines and makes the more enjoyable.
TIP 4: Try Only The Ones That Interest You
Ok, so you’re excited to set up your home gym, however, you need to do trial exercises first. You can do this by testing different pieces of equipment at local retailers. Familiarize yourself with different machines. The home versions of the machines you see at fitness gyms may be a bit smaller and less durable but trying them on will give you an idea of what you need you most.
TIP 5: Consider Your Health Background
Be careful not to choose equipment that aggravates old injuries. For example, if you have bad knees don’t purchase a Hack Squat machine because the positioning puts a lot of stress on them.
If you’ve had knee injuries before never try stair climbers. If you have a bad back stay away from rowers and cross-country ski machines. Simply put, do not buy exercise equipment that will only aggravate your previous injuries.
TIP 6: Look For Safety Features
Consider buying cardio exercise equipment with built-in safety features especially if you have kids at home. Keep in mind, that no gym equipment is safe for young kids to play around. The best form of safety is prevention, so please keep the little ones away from your home gym equipment as we absolutely don’t want them to be injured.
TIP 7: Ask For Family Member’s Preferences
Since you’ll be setting up your cardio exercise equipment at home, some family members might also be interested in using it. Ask for the opinions of your family members for a more fun and motivating physical training experience. By investing in equipment that everyone in your household is excited about using, will create consistency, which means an increase in the chances of everyone reaching their personal fitness goals.
TIP 8: Consider Your Fitness Level
Choose cardio exercise equipment that is both enjoyable and challenging for you. Exercise bikes and elliptical machines are great for improving your overall aerobic fitness levels. The good news is that cardio machines are designed to provide a range of resistance levels for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users.
TIP 9: Quality First
Remember, if a piece of cardio equipment is sold at a lower price, chances are, its mass produced and of low quality. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule; For example, you may be able to purchase a treadmill that’s on a clearance due to that particular model being discontinued. Generally, you get what you pay for. So, you should not always believe everything you see on infomercials as some of these tend to be deceptive.
TIP 10: Consult Your Doctor Before Performing Strenuous Exercises
You should always consult your physician before buying cardio exercise equipment. Having an injury or medical condition would affect your physical training. However, that does not mean you have to curtail your training. Physical activity is sometimes better to inactivity when you are rehabilitating from an injury. For example; people with injured or sub-par knees can still ride a stationary bike or people with lower back pain can still train effectively, provided they do the correct strengthening exercises. The big takeaway is to always consult your doctor before participating in strenuous exercises, especially if you have injuries.
There you have it folks, the 10 Tips For Buying Home Cardio Exercise Equipment that you can use as a filter during your search. These simple tips can guide and help you avoid making some of the most common mistakes. While this list is not exhaustive, it will do wonders during your search.