Make sure you know what you need and why you need it. Don’t buy on impulse especially during this pandemic. Instant gratification is not worth the eventual frustration. Don’t fall for the sales pitch of the ads you see on TV or the Internet. Before buying anything there are a few questions to consider:
- What do you need?
- What do you want?
- What can you have?
- What can you afford?
- Where are you going to get it?
- Where are you going to put it?
Once you’ve worked out a sure answer for these questions, then you can go ahead and make life easy for yourself.
Identify your needs
Need upper body work? Lower Body Work? Muscle Strength? Weight control? Do too many parts jiggle and sag. Do you feel any body pain, or experience any neuropathic pain? Read more on: painful neuropathy
Unless you have an unlimited budget and unlimited space, buy according to your highest priority need. Don’t forget to make sure the manufacturer’s claims are backed up by research. No sense in thinking you’re fulfilling a priority only to find out later that your hopes were unsubstantiated.
If you won’t be alone in using the equipment, then durability and safety are your next consideration. How many people are going to use it? How young or careful are they? The number of people may also affect the type of apparatus, if you want a stair climber, a treadmill or a stationary bike, consider any problems that can occur using them.
Examine your choice
Experiment with a variety of equipment at gyms or at friends’ houses. Buying a piece of fitness equipment, you have never tried is like buying a pair of shoes without trying them on – it’s a stupid move. Here are some of the most common and interesting options among the more popular aerobic and strength training equipment for the home:
- Stationary Bikes
The seat is the most important feature. It should be well padded and contoured for maximum comfort, as well as adjustable with a secure locking mechanism. Stationary bikes can be upright or recumbent, electronic or non-electronic. Recumbent bikes take up more space but offer greater comfort. - Treadmills
It’s the most popular of aerobic machines. Fitness experts agree that it is better to invest in an expensive but good treadmill rather than waste your money on a cheaper but poorly manufactured kind. One way to check is to look for electronic push button control speed, not knobs or levers.