How To Choose The Right Fitness Equipment To Get Yourself In Shape

Author: Swamini Kulkarni

Here you go again, standing in front of a flock of gym equipment, clueless regarding which equipment to choose. The shop is filled with rows and rows of treadmills, stationary bikes, rowing machines, elliptical machines, and the machines of which you don’t even know names.

So, which one do you choose?

The first step toward fitness is to choose the right gym equipment. When the daily trips to a gym seem impossible due to the tight schedule, home exercise equipment is a great alternative. This is the prime reason why the global fitness equipment market has witnessed exponential growth over the last few years.

According to a research firm, Allied Market Research, the global fitness equipment market is projected to reach $14.20 billion by 2025. Before you swipe your card to buy an expensive, brand new equipment, make sure that it suits your lifestyle as well as budget and shop around to get the best price for it.

Here are a few tips that could help you pick the right fitness equipment. However, before buying any exercise equipment, do keep these precautions in mind:

 Even the best fitness equipment is useless if you don’t use it regularly.

 It is important to learn how to use the equipment properly or you may injure yourself temporarily or permanently.

 Fitness equipment comes in every shape, size, and price range. Read customer reviews before you purchase.

Following are a few suggestions that could help you figure out which equipment to buy.

1. Set your goal and decide what kind of workout you need to achieve that goal. Just because your neighbors opt for it, doesn’t mean that workout is helpful for you. There are two kinds of workouts: aerobic exercise and weight bearing. Those who want to increase stamina, shed some extra pounds, and improve heart rate should opt for aerobic exercise.
   
   However, those who wish to tone certain areas of their body and develop muscles should go for weight bearing.
   
2. Do not fall for the advertisements that you watch on television. Do your research, ask for experts’ opinions and then buy your equipment.
   
3. Evaluate how much space you can allot to your equipment in your home. If you have an entire room dedicated to your workout, you can opt for a rowing machine and full weight rack. On the other hand, for smaller areas, you must choose that fitness equipment which you can fold away.
   
4. Set your budget wisely as it will help you find the best items for your fitness. Moreover, it would allow buying several large purchases and if you have limited budgets, you can opt for low-tech yet precise equipment. One more thing, extra weights, cushioned mats, and fitness clothing are also a part of your budget.
   
5. Consult your doctor. It is important that you talk to your doctor regarding health risks, especially if you have been through any surgery.
   
6. Consult a gym instructor. You can figure out which equipment you need with some online research, but gym professionals could give you recommendations.
   
   Choosing a fitness machine:
   Here is the lowdown on what to expect from fitness equipment.
   
7. Treadmill
   A treadmill is used to burn around 100 calories per mile. It can be used to several fitness levels by regulating the speed and you can adjust the speed from walking to running. If you are a newbie at
   exercise or have not worked out in a while, the treadmill could pose a real balance challenge.
   
8. Stair steppers and elliptical machines
   These machines offer a good alternative to the treadmill as one uses them in a standing position and its calories burn rate is as similar to a treadmill. Apart from this, elliptical machines along with arm
   components can further increase the calories burn rate. However, the equipment is not recommended for a new exerciser.
   
9. Stationary bikes
   Those with knee pain are often witnessed to go for these bikes as the impact of body weight is not a concern. However, you must make sure the bike is fit for your body and adjust its seat height according
   to your height. If you sit too low, your knees would flex too much as they pedal and could lead to soreness.
   
10. Rowing machine
    Most people think that rowing machine offers you only upper-body workout. In fact, it is a more advanced cardiovascular machine as one needs to engage core abdominal muscles to support the back.
    What’s more, as rowing machines use several muscle groups, it helps burn a lot of calories. Most importantly, beginners and those who suffer from back pain should avoid it.
    
    The one thing you should remember while buying a fitness machine is that you should have a trial run with it and choose the one which feels right. The basic thumb rule is the equipment that exercises most muscles burns more calories. However, if you’re a beginner, it would lead you to fatigue and would burn fewer calories.
    
    Thus, you must consult a gym trainer before you purchase any fitness equipment. Have a happy workout!

Author bio: Swamini Kulkarni holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and works as a content writer. She is deeply fascinated by technological advancements and the trending topic in the world. When she is not glued to the computer, she loves to read, travel, and spend time thinking about how she could read and travel more often.