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Selecting Home Exercise
Equipment
Too often people spend a lot of money on large and extravagant pieces of home
exercise equipment, fooling themselves into believing their guilt over spending
so much will force them to use it. Don't make this mistake! On the other hand,
you may have some great reasons to buy exercise equipment to help you increase
your cardiovascular fitness and stay in shape within the comforts and
convenience of your own home. Many people choose to exercise indoors to avoid
traffic or bad weather and have privacy.
According to the National Sporting Goods Association, in 1997 Americans
bought more than $3 billion worth of new exercise equipment including treadmills
($1.49 billion), multi-station home gyms ($268 million), stationary bicycles
($189 million), free weights ($180 million), cross country ski machines ($83
million) and elliptical (cross-training) machines ($39.7 million).
Some questions to ask yourself before you buy home exercise equipment:
- Do you enjoy exercising alone at home? Have you tried it with exercise
videos, floor mats or other small-scale pieces of equipment?
- Have you considered cheaper alternatives to expensive equipment, such as
buying a stand to convert your own street bicycle to a stationary unit or
purchasing a set of weights and a bench rather than a weight resistance
machine?
- Have you planned a place to put the item in your home where you will use
it? Is the place pleasant, well lit and well ventilated?
- Do you already know how to use the type of equipment you're buying? Have
you tried it at a health club, gym or somewhere else?
- Do you have your doctor's medical clearance if you have an existing
condition such as heart disease, low back pain, arthritis, etc.?
Try before you buy
You have lots of options when you're ready to buy home exercise equipment.
Take your time, shop around and think carefully about what best meets your
needs. Never buy exercise equipment on impulse. In fact, you should try out any
equipment you're considering (in your exercise clothes) at least several times
before you buy. Newspaper classified ads might lead you to the cheapest prices.
"Used" equipment is often "like new."
Types of equipment
- Motorized treadmills: Walking or jogging on these can improve your
cardiovascular fitness and your lower body muscle tone. Some models add
poles to give you moderate upper body conditioning as well. Most start slow
and let you turn up the speed and increase the incline to intensify your
workout. Treadmills made for your home generally range from $400-$1,500 and
from .5 horsepower to more than 1.5 horsepower.
- Stationary cycles: Many types are available for a non-impact aerobic
workout. Most come with a digital timer and some add other devices to
measure your distance, speed and calories burned and simulate road, mountain
or racing conditions. You adjust the machine's resistance to intensify your
workout. Prices generally range from $100-$1,200.
- Stair climbing machines: Using these can improve your cardiovascular
fitness and leg muscle strength with less stress on your knees than using
real stairs. Many come with monitors that display steps per minute, time and
calories burned. Some models let you increase resistance for a better
workout. Prices generally range from $200-$700.
- Cross country ski simulators: These work both the arms and legs, helping
you get the aerobic and muscle-toning benefits of cross country skiing
without leaving the house. The machines have ski-like sliding footpads and
rope-and-pulley devices for your arms. Some let you increase the incline for
a tougher workout. Monitors record your heart rate. Basic models cost $300
or more.
- Weight machines (home gyms): Most let you do a variety of
strength-building exercises including triceps extension, pull down, shoulder
press, leg extension, leg curl, chest press and biceps curl. The machines
make it easy to set up and change weights. Prices range from $200-$3,000.
Using your equipment
Some points to keep in mind when using your home exercise equipment:
- Start slowly and build up your exercise routine gradually over time. If at
first you try to do too much, you can hurt yourself and lose the will to
continue your routine.
- Watch your technique. Poor exercise mechanics leads to overuse injuries
such as shoulder problems in people who use cross-country ski machines or
knee problems in those who use stair climbers.
- Remember to do warm-up and cool-down flexibility exercises.
- If using the equipment is painful, stop and rest for at least a day.
Adjust the machine to make your exercise less strenuous.
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