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There are a lot of excuses that can stop you from going to the fitness centre regularly: it’s too far, there’s no time, the amount of equipment is confusing …

If any of those sound familiar, it may be time to consider looking into home exercise equipment.

In the last few years, the home fitness equipment has soared, with advances in technology and mechanics that allow you to get a great workout without leaving the company of your home. And with so much competition among manufacturers and designers, prices have dropped significantly.

Nevertheless, with so much equipment to select from, it can be hard to make sure you’re getting the best equipment for the results you’re looking for. The list below can help you make wise choices when you go shopping.

Topping the list is an item which is so small and so cheap, really no home gym should be without it: the skipping rope. It may have seemed like fun and games when you jumped rope as a child, but really, you were engaging in an exercise with astonishing cardiovascular benefits, which also incorporates balance and agility strengthening, as well. You can take it with you to work and on vacation, and it’s a great piece of equipment to use in between sets of weight reps or between machines in circuit training.

Looking for a whole body exercise? A rowing machine is a good place to start. Using both the upper and lower body to achieve a good aerobic workout, rowing machines are relatively compact and can fit in nearly any available space.

Treadmills and elliptical trainers are good investments for your home gym, since they offer both cardiovascular and strength workouts, with relatively low impact. Elliptical trainers have less impact than treadmills, but are usually less portable than treadmills, where many models are offered that can fold up to be stored away in a corner of the room when not in use.

Or consider a stationery bike. These also offer cardiovascular workouts with relatively low impact, and are an especially effective choice for a man or woman just beginning to work out, and for those who are overweight. Recumbent bikes offer the greatest lower back support and cause less stress on the knee joint. These bikes focus more on the muscles of the butt and legs in their cardio workout.

Consider a step machine for an aerobic workout that targets the lower body while minimizing impact. These machines can be relatively more expensive than treadmills and elliptical trainers, however.

And don’t go past resistance equipment to add a strengthening component to cardiovascular and aerobic routines. Options include traditional free weights, with or without weight benches, and resistance machines, which typically use bands to achieve resistance, and offer a more restricted workout which can be less likely to cause injury than free weights. Medicine balls are another great resistance option.

Finally, consider adding an inflatable exercise ball and a few padded weights to your equipment shopping list. The ball is a great way to improve balance and coordination, and can combine with traditional crunches and other workouts to give your core muscles a great workout. And you’ll really appreciate those yoga mats when you’re doing crunches and other workouts that require you to be in contact with the floor.

One of the great things about home exercise equipment is that you can make purchases and expand your gym as you can afford it, and add specific equipment to address the individual results you’re after.

And if you already belong to a gym, home exercise equipment is an effective complement, offering you an option for days when you can’t take the time to visit the gym and allowing you to work in small routines between other activities.

So, pack away your excuses. With greater options and lower costs, there’s no reason NOT to consider adding some home exercise equipment to your next shopping trip.

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