Purchasing Exercise Equipment for Home
Every January, like clockwork, advertisements for new exercise equipment and apparatuses fill the circulars. And because it’s the New Year, you might genuinely promise yourself that this year you will make the effort to exercise more regularly. You rightly reason that it would be a tremendous help if that bicycle, treadmill, or elliptical trainer from the circular was under the same roof as you are. Also, after doing the math, you determine all the money you’d save if you didn’t have to pay for a monthly gym membership.
So off to the store you go; you, your good intentions, and your wallet. When you return, your car is heavier and your wallet a lot lighter. But you are motivated—because soon, you dream, you will be lighter too!
Fast forward to March. The shiny new exercise “thing” you bought home in January now has a coat of dust on it and maybe even a winter coat slung over it. What went wrong? Let’s assess.
First, you must know yourself. If you are like me, you need to go to a place to work out, even if you have (as I do) much of the same equipment at home. Socially motivated folks need to work out primarily with others around—even if they never talk to them! All the best intentions and cost analysis evidence won’t change that. Put your money where your workout WILL happen.
For those who believe you will be committed to home-based work outs, I suggest you invest in a piece of equipment that you have already used before, and know you’ll enjoy using into the future. And do “try it on for size”. Never buy a piece of equipment that you cannot “test drive” in the store. For example, not all elliptical trainers are “created” equal. I must have tried seven different brands before I found one that had a comfortable fit/feel for me.
Finally, consider using Craig’s List or other second hand sites to purchase barely used equipment—from other people who began an earlier year with good intentions! : )