Get Fit With Val

If you could buy just one home exercise machine, what would it be?

This is actually a question I receive often from many home fitness clients. More than ever, people are choosing to purchase their own exercise machines as opposed to going to the gym.

Having your own exercise equipment makes working out more convenient while saving money by not paying monthly dues for a gym membership. If someone does purchase their own exercise machine, they of course, want to pick one that will prove to be most beneficial for their situation.

The most commonly used home exercise machines are treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes. Each machine has so much to offer but, there are some considerations for each when choosing which is best for you.

Here are some pros and cons of my top 3 choices:

The Elliptical Trainer -

• When you exercise on an elliptical, there is no impact on the ground, therefore causing less stress on the joints of the lower body. However, in the case of the treadmill, there is a significant amount of impact on your joints.
• If you are looking to get a complete body workout, then the elliptical trainer is the best choice, offering an upper and lower body workout. The treadmill focuses more on your lower body.
• An elliptical trainer provides the option of letting the foot go forward or backward which is not there in the treadmill.
• An elliptical takes more practice at getting used to and comfortable with.
• Most take up a lot of space.

The Stationary Bike -

• The stationary bike is safer than the treadmill. The chances of falling off or misplacing your foot are less likely than on a treadmill.
• Bikes take up less space than the elliptical or treadmill.
• With the bike, you are able to slim down the thigh area more quickly, providing a much leaner look to your legs.
• People have the tendency to get bored easily on the bike.

The Treadmill -

• Treadmills provide a better training experience to runners. Hills (inclines) can be programmed into the run to simulate outdoor running.
• Most people burn around 750 calories per hour on a treadmill as opposed to burning only 550 calories in an hour while exercising on a bike.
• Treadmills allow you to change the incline as if you were walking uphill. The incline focuses on the muscles of your legs and buttocks.
• Walking on the treadmill is more familiar to most. People tend to stick with their exercise regimen on a treadmill as opposed to the bike or elliptical because they find it more enjoyable to walk.
• The treadmill can be folded up and pushed against a wall when not in use.
• If you become engrossed in your music or TV program, you could accidentally step wrong on the treadmill forcing you to fall.
• It is recommend that children stay away from the treadmill while in operation. Many children have been injured badly by having their fingers caught in the moving belt.

So, as you can see, there are pros and cons to each. Apart from the points above, there are other considerations such as space available, budget and which areas of the body you want to target. If I did have to choose one, it would be the treadmill. The treadmill allows you to have more options (i.e. walk, run, incline, side skip, reverse walk). When you have more options, the chances of boredom are less.

If you’ve got the room and the budget, don’t buy just one. Having more than one exercise machine will eliminate the boredom and give you more choices for fitness with your exercise routine.

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