Best All Round Home Exercise Equipment

**copey123** · 15th November 2005

Hi,

I haven't really got the time or the money to be going to the Gym regularly so i was thinking about making a one of investment on something that will keep me in shape and give me the regular daily exercise i need to stay fit at home. I know i really should be going outside and running or cycling or swimming and all that malarky, but let's get this striaght now, it ain't gonna happen.
What equipment would you advise for generally exercising at home? Exercise bike, Rower, One of those Ski machine efforts? I was thinking either a bike or rower to be honest, what would be the best to keep me all round in shape and healthy?
My main concern is that i am 23 years old and get absolutely knackered after 5 minutes of strenuous exercise. About 4 years ago i was playing footy regularly every day and was much more active. I'm now in a 8:30 til 5:30 job sat at a desk all day and spend my weekends out boozing. I want to be able to get my fitness up and make myself feel generally better instead of feeling tired all the time due to a lethargic lifestyle. If i could lose a stone or so as well that would also be nice but my main concern is the fitness.

Help! Advice appreciated. Cheers.

**super mike** · 15th November 2005

I would go for a rower myself mate, they always seem to be the most effective and the most fun.

**toto67** · 15th November 2005

Originally Posted by copey123

Hi,

I haven't really got the time or the money to be going to the Gym regularly so i was thinking about making a one of investment on something that will keep me in shape and give me the regular daily exercise i need to stay fit at home. I know i really should be going outside and running or cycling or swimming and all that malarky, but let's get this striaght now, it ain't gonna happen.
What equipment would you advise for generally exercising at home? Exercise bike, Rower, One of those Ski machine efforts? I was thinking either a bike or rower to be honest, what would be the best to keep me all round in shape and healthy?
My main concern is that i am 23 years old and get absolutely knackered after 5 minutes of strenuous exercise. About 4 years ago i was playing footy regularly every day and was much more active. I'm now in a 8:30 til 5:30 job sat at a desk all day and spend my weekends out boozing. I want to be able to get my fitness up and make myself feel generally better instead of feeling tired all the time due to a lethargic lifestyle. If i could lose a stone or so as well that would also be nice but my main concern is the fitness.

Help! Advice appreciated. Cheers.

With that comment alone,I wouldnt bother my arse with it....:nono

**harryb** · 28th December 2006

thought id just ask here, Argos has cheap bikes right now but is the brand Roger Black any good? Feel like going for something like Reebook makes it feel like I'll get something better but I don't know much about brands for this sort of thing. Cheers

**Fusen** · 28th December 2006

I'd go with a rower aswell, but only as long as you're willing to do fucking long sessions on it and really get a sweat going

**harryb** · 28th December 2006

what does a rower offer that a bike doesn't? just wondered as I always liked the bikes at school (however dodgy that may sound) haha

**{{909}}** · 28th December 2006

my gf had a exercise bike and i thought it would be good for getting fit on, my god it was so boring, she originally intended to use it while watching tv, but it was too noisy. the outside world is alot more interesing and i found jogging more affective, failing that, if you have access to a ps2, give eyetoy kinetic a go, its cheap, takes up no room at all and it does work pretty well.

**harryb** · 29th December 2006

hmm maybe im easily pleased, then. Never got bored on the bike with my ipod, lol

**Gunnzie** · 29th December 2006

For all round fitness the cross trainer is the absolute winner by miles.

**RogerMcLitty** · 29th December 2006

I find a cross trainer much more effective than an exercise bike - my legs feel like they've done a lot more work, and your upper body gets a better workout if you use the handles. Plus they encourage a better posture than an excercise bike, I find that when I use a bike I get bored on it and start to slump.

The trouble is with home exercise equipment though is that using the same machine over and over again gets really boring so it may be worth getting a couple of different pieces of equipment if you've got the room and the money, just to have a bit of variety.

Following on from 909 - as well as eyetoy kinetic on the PS2, there's Yourself Fitness on the PS2 and PC, which creates a training routine for you to do in the house based on what equipment you may have, eg. a training ball (one of those big beach ball type things for doing situps etc. on), hand weights and so on.

**harryb** · 30th December 2006

ok so a cross trainer if i was buying 1 unit? gonna be for my whole family to use and so needs to be easy to get on with for all ages. Also, are they quiet?

**RogerMcLitty** · 30th December 2006

yeah fairly quiet - mine uses a belt to spin the wheel, a lot quieter than the old chain ones. It's quiet enough for me to watch the TV when I use it. Plus as an added bonus it generates a breeze when it spins to cool you down. Most of them will have adjustable handles etc. to suit different heights, and of course different resistance settings. Try a few out and get one with as smooth a motion as possible, your joints will thank you!

**harryb** · 30th December 2006

ok, cheers for the advice - good to know i can watch tv as nothing worse than staring at a wall for motivation

**harryb** · 10th January 2007

we ended up getting a bike and gonna get a cross trainer or something else in the near future, cheers

**ffrr** · 12th January 2007

Originally Posted by harryb

ok so a cross trainer if i was buying 1 unit? gonna be for my whole family to use and so needs to be easy to get on with for all ages. Also, are they quiet?

I have a york cross trainer, it cost me about �180 in the argos sales a few years ago.

It started off pretty quiet but after several months use it was really loud... basic creaking and knocking sounds ... I stripped it right down and rebuilt it which helped for a while but it does go back to being noisy, so regular maintenance is required but that's no big deal, half an hour every few months or so ...

Although more recently I moved it into my outside gym area and since then it's now as quiet as it was the day I bought it, weird...

As for exercise bikes I originally had one from argos but after two weeks the fly wheel bearings melted, I can't remember what make it was but it cost �120. That's when I swapped over to the cross trainer... one of the best equipment investments I have made ;)