You’re looking into fitness equipment for your home gym, and there’s a huge price range of items to choose from.  Walmart and other companies offer inexpensive treadmills and elliptical machines for “low, low prices” that it’s hard to pass up.  It’s even more difficult when the quality exercise machines you’ve been eyeballing are significantly more expensive.  Is it really worth the cost?  The simple answer is, “Yes!”  Investing in high-quality exercise equipment will make it far easier for you to reach your fitness goals.

The Benefits of High-Quality Exercise Equipment

There are plenty of cheap options out there.  You can pick up cheap fitness equipment from infomercials, and in many general-purpose big box stores.  The equipment, however, will often fail to stand the test of time.  Being frugal doesn’t just mean saving money—it means spending your money wisely.  As your consider the different treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes available, remember that buying lower quality options may be cheap now, but will actually cost you more in the long run.  Instead, look for high-quality exercise equipment.

With quality exercise equipment, you get high performance and reliability.  It’s like buying an SUV: you could buy a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport for around $21,000, but you’re going to get all the downsides that go with it.  Lackluster performance, poor crash ratings, and poor reliability are all serious turnoffs.  On the other hand, Audi’s Q5 SUVs start at $41,000.  They require a substantially higher initial investment, but more often than not, they’re well worth it in terms of performance, features, reliability, and safety.

The same is true of your treadmill.  Sure, you could pick up a treadmill at Walmart for around $300, but is it going to offer you the benefits you’re looking for?  When you choose a quality treadmill, you’ll get a number of great benefits that are well worth the cost.

All the Features You’re Looking For

When you buy a high-quality elliptical or treadmill, you’ll get all the latest fitness features that will make your workouts easier. These include:

• Heart Rate Control.  Using a heart rate monitor is great, but heart rate control goes even further by actually helping you stay in your target range.  The speed and incline of your treadmill will automatically change based on your heart rate to keep your exertion at the level desired; within a few heart beats of your target.
• Smoothness and stability.  High quality exercise equipment is built upon a solid frame, and operates smoothly regardless of the level of use.
• User profiles that will allow you store workouts and data for several individuals in your household.
• Challenging workout programs for any fitness level
• User-friendly consoles to easily adjust or maintain your workout
• Orthopedic belts ensure the most comfortable treadmill workout, and are safer for your joints and knees.  They are thicker than regular treadmill belts and designed to further reduce the amount of concussion when you walk or run.
• Quietness.  Quality equipment operates quietly because of superior engineering.  When a treadmill’s motor and flywheel are balanced, it creates less vibration and noise when in use.  In contrast, lower quality treadmills often create a whining or screeching noise; normally caused by a worn motor belt or a loose pulley on the front roller.
• Fitness app integration so you’ll be able to measure your heart rate and performance change over time.
• Biomechanics.  Seek ellipticals, exercise bikes, and treadmills that are designed with your biomechanics in mind.  Quality exercise equipment with sound biomechanics make your workouts more comfortable and effective.
• Comprehensive and lifetime warranties so your machine stands the test of time.

No Lost Time Due to Expensive Replacements

When you buy a cheap treadmill, it’s not designed to last–and the lack of a warranty proves it.  When your treadmill breaks down, you have little recourse.  Sure, you could bring out a technician to look at it; but chances are, they’re going to charge you more to fix it than your treadmill is worth.  At Fitness Gallery, we offer products like TRUE Fitness and TuffStuff which are backed by robust warranties.  The TRUE PS800 treadmill includes a lifetime warranty on the frame, and a 30 year motor warranty.  And all TuffStuff Fitness residential strength equipment includes a Home Lifetime Warranty.  If you have problems or it stops working, we’ll fix it for you.  Not only that, you’ll get to spend more time actually getting your workouts in, since you won’t have to deal with the replacement process.

Greater Likelihood of Finishing Your Workouts

When your fitness equipment is inexpensive and low-quality, you’re more likely to skip your workouts–not because of the cost, but because your machine simply isn’t working for you!  If your joints hurt every time you run on the treadmill or you’re uncomfortable the entire time you’re pedaling on your stationary bike, you’ll be far more likely to make excuses for missing your workout.  On the other hand, when your high-quality exercise equipment is comfortable and effective, you’ll be more likely to make time for those important workouts.  For instance, the TRUE ES700 and Spectrum ellipticals include a feature called “Adjustable Stride.”  This feature allows you to customize the elliptical stride length in 1 inch increments.  In doing so, you can create a more comfortable workout, and in doing so increase the likelihood you’ll actually use your equipment.

There’s nothing more important than your health.  If you’re going to invest in exercise equipment, buy quality.  Cheap exercise equipment will have inferior biomechanics, be less comfortable to use, include a shorter warranty and be more difficult to service. High-quality ellipticals, treadmills, and other exercise equipment that will stand the test of time and make your workouts far more effective.  Contact us today to learn more about the difference between quality and