Avoid These 9 Common Mistakes When Buying Home Fitness Equipment

The right home fitness equipment can add variety, convenience and consistency to your workouts. But after a typically expensive purchase, you don’t want to come home realizing that you’ve made a mistake.  Here are 9 common mistakes to be wary of when buying your home fitness equipment.

1. Don’t Overbuy Features – Like bees to honey, exercise enthusiasts are drawn to the bells and whistles that sell cardiovascular exercise equipment. Gadgets often go unused.  Rethink whether or not you will use the extras and is it the best place to invest your money.
2. Don’t Skimp on the Basics – Unlike the bells and whistles, sturdy construction and smooth, quiet operation are what matter most. For example, with treadmills, good deck cushioning and stability are key factors to look for.
3. Don’t Ignore the Top of the Line – If you don’t try the best fitness equipment first, you won’t know what quality features to look for. A store specializing in exercise equipment is probably the best place to start your search. It’s advisable to check out quality name brands you may have used at the gym.  A manufacturer’s quality is often the same in home equipment as it is in heavy-duty commercial equipment used at the fitness club.
4. Don’t Overestimate Your Physical Abilities – An exercise or movement that looks easy on TV may not work for you. For example, ski machines with independent upper and lower-body motions may give an awesome cardio workout, but it also requires a high level of concentration and coordination. One you get the equipment home, most people are less likely to use fitness machines that have a high learning curve. When purchasing a strength training machine, look for one with simple procedures for changing weights. If adjusting the weight is difficult and takes extra time, you’re less likely to do it!
5. Don’t Limit Your Options – Although treadmills are extremely popular and reliable, elliptical trainers also provide functional movement with lots of variety. Stationary bikes – both upright and recumbent – are rebounding in popularity. Stairmasters, rowing machines, home gyms and equipment for exercise based on the work of Joseph Pilates are additional options.
6. Don’t Ignore Your Personal Comfort – Make sure the rowing machine you are thinking of buying doesn’t put too many demands on your back. If you are looking at treadmills and are overweight or have orthopedic concerns, check for sturdy handrails, gradual pace changes and structural integrity. Look for a home gym that will adjust to your body height and size.
7. Avoid Fast Purchasing – Almost any piece of exercise equipment feels and works fine during the first few minutes. Only when performing longer workouts will you notice annoying things like excessive vibration and noise. For cardio fitness machines, spend at least 20 minutes trying different programs, for strength fitness equipment, do a set of 10 repetitions.
8. Don’t Believe Everything You Hear – Some fitness products that sound great on infomercials have limited effectiveness. Abdominal exercise devices, for example, don’t really offer any results beyond those achieved by doing abdominal exercises without equipment. (However, the devices can provide some head and neck support, if they fit your body size properly.)
9. Don’t Go It Alone – Ask questions of other exercisers and fitness professionals, as well as equipment representatives. Before buying, do your research and find out about the delivery, setup, warranties and return policies of the equipment you plan to buy.

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