Low-Cost Home Fitness Equipment
What to Know When Buying Low-End Ab Machines, Steppers and Rowers
What you get for your money when purchasing low-cost abdominal machines, steppers and rowing machines for the home or office.
You have two choices when purchasing fitness equipment. There are the high-end machines that can cost upwards of $800, and the low-priced models that usually run under $200. The low-cost workout machines tend to be aimed at two groups – the novice user who is just experimenting with exercise and is not sure they want to make the investment, and the apartment dweller who has little space and is looking for lighter, more compact equipment.
Issues with Low-Cost Machines
You get what you pay for. Low-end fitness equipment is made with lesser quality parts and materials, so that means lighter frames that may not be sturdy, plastic parts that can break easily, and higher noise levels with squeaking and clicking sounds. Plus, you won’t get all the bells and whistles of a high-end piece. The machine may only offer one resistance level, so you could quickly outgrow it. Your size is also an issue. Because these models are meant to be compact, there are usually height and weight restrictions.
Abdominal Machines
There are various types of abdominal machines. There are ones that resemble a chair where you lean back and then come forward to work your abs, ones that you sit on and twist your torso, devices where you hold onto a handle system and slide yourself back and forth on your knees, and rollers where you are on the ground rolling into a sit-up. A common complaint with the chairs is that you may find the movement clunky or jerky, and they may not fit tall or short users. A lot of these abs machines probably won’t offer much resistance, usually just your body weight. The chairs and rollers provide decent head and neck support but the overall ergonomics are not great. On the plus side most of these machines are light weight and portable, and some can even be packed for travel. Whether or not they produce results is debatable.
Steppers
Stepping machines in this price range usually do not have handles to hold, just foot pedals that you push up and down or side to side, so you may have to balance yourself with a chair until you get use to it. However, this does make them very easy to store and move from room to room. You will get some sort of digital display monitor, such as calories burned, but nothing too elaborate. Since they don’t plug in, the display is battery operated. Also, the low-end steppers typically only offer one level, so you may tire of it after a few months of consistent use. The most common complaint is that the hydraulics can be quick to fail and the stepper becomes useless.
Rowing Machines
There are usually two types of rowers – pulling back on a T-bar with a large air resistance fan in front, or oar-like rowing where your seat glides back and forth. With inexpensive rowing machines, you want to look at the stability of the frame and that it does not rock when you are using it. Poor seat padding can also be an issue as is the range of motion for a tall person. You have to be able to fully extend your legs. For the wheel versions, the pull will likely be attached to a chain (not as smooth and more likely to break) as opposed to a wire cable found in high end machines.
None of these machines are meant to last a lifetime. For an analysis of what to look for in low cost treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical trainers, please see Low-Cost Exercise Machines, plus my other articles such as Weight Loss Trackers and New Research on Successful Dieting.
