Exercise is important for both our bodies and minds, and one of the benefits of owning your home is the ability to dedicate a room to exercise.
You don’t need a full-service gym to stay in shape. In fact, all you need is one or two machines. There are lots of choices to make when it comes to buying a piece of exercise equipment, so here’s a rundown of some of the most popular options.
Stationary Bikes: These are a classic at gyms. Benefits include burning calories, lowering blood pressure, improving sleep and lowering stress. Options range from basic bikes that are reasonably priced and offer a great workout, to expensive models with screens that allow you to take classes remotely.
Treadmills: An excellent choice for runners, treadmills offer a terrific exercise that is less stressful on the body than running on pavement or through woods and trails. Modern machines can be programmed to replicate different courses, which is especially optimal for competitive runners as you can program the machine to replicate the course for any races you’re competing in.
Elliptical Machines: One reason to get an elliptical machine in your home is that the wait time for these at the gym can be very long because of their popularity. That’s because they provide a low-impact cardio workout that burns more calories than a stationary bike. They promise to give your heart, lungs and muscles a good workout while putting less stress on joints than running does.
Rowing Machines: Working out on a rowing machine burns lots of calories, tones your muscles, improves endurance and gives your body a good overall workout. They’re also more affordable than other machines and actually can be a lot of fun, all of which is contributing to their growing popularity.
The Internet: You can get terrific exercise with some space and a computer. YouTube is packed with videos that offer instructions on all sorts of exercises, such as yoga and strength conditioning for people of all levels. There are popular YouTubers who regularly post videos, allowing users to follow a long-term workout plan from experts.
Whether you buy a machine or create your own routine, the real trick is to actually do the exercise.
