Checklist Before Buying Cardio Exercise Equipment 

People exercise for four basic reasons: to increase cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility. If you're a person whose goal is to increase cardiovascular endurance, you need to do workouts which will strengthen your heart and enhance your metabolism. Examples of these workouts are walking, jogging, running and cross training. These can be done outdoors or indoors.

To maintain the habit of regular exercise, it is advised to use cardio exercise equipment. You can access various types of this equipment at fitness gyms. However, if you think you can stick to your workout more by having a home gym, there are wide varieties of affordable equipment you can invest. Here are the things you need to consider before buying cardio exercise equipment:  

1. Activities you want to do - Before you go shopping, think of the exercises you want to do to succeed in your fitness goal. If you prefer walking, jogging and running, treadmill is perfect for you. If you prefer cross-country skiing, you may try elliptical trainers. If you prefer cycling and want to be more comfortable while doing a workout, a stationary bike is for you.

2. Space - Some cardio exercise equipments that can be folded so you can save storage space. Good examples of this are treadmills. Fitness experts recommend folding treadmills than non-folding treadmills as they are easy to keep. However, folding treadmills are more expensive that their non-folding counterparts. Equipment that requires larger space is elliptical trainers. This machine gives you the advantage of upper and lower body workout which is an excellent overall exercise. 

The least equipment that requires space is the stationary bikes. It is also easy to read magazines, books, watch TV while using the stationary bikes. If you prefer doing other stuffs like the ones mentioned, stationary bike is the right equipment for you. 

3. Reviews - It is always best to read consumer reviews before finally deciding to buy cardio exercise equipment. You can check reviews through the internet; websites like askthetrainer.com and homegymsadviser.com offer tips, reviews and fitness guides. You can also refer to fitness books like "The Men's Health Home Workout Bible, Fitness for Life, and the Woman's Workout Bible. 

4. Budget - You need to determine what cardio exercise equipment you exactly want to get the best of what you pay for. Fitness experts recommend choosing brands that are a little expensive but of high-quality rather than the cheap ones. Cheaper brands are usually mass-produced. If you intend to buy a treadmill just for walking, you can already buy a good quality and durable treadmill at the cost of $1,000. If you're a runner, best buy items usually rangers from $1,500 - $2,000. Fitness experts recommend to buy elliptical trainers costing more than $1,000 as cheaper machines can only hold up to light use.

There are two main types of cardio exercise bikes: the recumbent and the upright. You can already buy a good quality bike at the cost of $450. Expensive brands of bikes cost above $1,390 while the cheapest cost below $170. Common problems among cheaper brands of bikes include missing parts, difficult to assembly, and damage to brittle or plastic parts during shipping.   
