Five questions to ask yourself before you buy home fitness equipment

 

It’s a very British problem. Spring blooms dot the landscape and cherry blossom is starting to flower.

The smell is almost heavenly yet the petals glisten - they glisten with rain, the weather being a favourite topic of conversation in this country.

For the hardy, you may well brave the elements for a walk, jog or run, regardless of the weather forecast. Yet what about the majority, especially if you are clinically vulnerable or unable to walk very far? Should you buy home fitness equipment? Sign up to online classes? Where do you start?

The first thing to do is to write a list, covering off these initial five questions, as a starting point:

Elaborating upon each question, www.rogerblackfitness.com details below an easy-to-navigate set of points to consider before you decide what to buy or sign up to, programme or product-wise. In addition to these questions, you should also read-up on genuine reviews via Trustpilot.com or Google Reviews.

Sourcing information about home fitness equipment online can be confusing and overwhelming, once you open the Pandora’s Box of Health and Wellbeing. If you are able to physically go out to the shops, you might be limited as to the type of equipment you can ‘try before you buy’, partly because larger equipment is now mainly sold online. Fortunately, so much information is available across the internet, literally at your fingertips.

It is sensible to set a budget, taking into account additional delivery fees (that may also go up because of the international political situation) and payment plan options. Can you stagger payments with the likes of Klarna: Shopping just levelled up or are you eligible to sign up to a salary sacrifice scheme such as www.vivup.co.uk?

You may also want to compare like-for-like costs, as well as look into Groupon.com discounts or whether companies have any special offers or seasonal discounts. In the case of Roger Black Fitness, Readers Digest readers are eligible for a 10% loyalty discount (see below for more details) on the full range.

This is a fundamental part of your decision-making process as your choice of equipment will significantly reduce if you can only accommodate a foldable product. Folding equipment can be a brilliant solution if you live in a smaller space or need to multi-purpose your living or bedroom. A foldable product will also be lighter in weight and probably cost a little less than its stationary counterpart.

If you look at any of the Roger Black product manuals, there is always a diagram included, showing how much space you should allow around each bike, treadmill, cross trainer or rower, before you exercise. So get your tape measure out and start-a-measuring.

Buying any sort of home fitness equipment is an investment, both financially and in terms of your time. Exercise should not be a slog and is designed to be enjoyed and to release some of those feelgood endorphins. The more you enjoy your health and wellbeing journey, the more likely you are to stick at it. Movement and wellbeing should become a positive lifestyle habit, rather than a ‘should do’ chore.

It may well be that if you love yoga, don’t reinvent the wheel and stick to yoga, pilates or gentle stretching on a mat with some smaller home fitness accessories. If you are a power walker, a treadmill might work for you, particularly if the machine you choose has an automatic or manual incline. If you used to have a passion for rowing or were part of a rowing team in your youth, why not opt for a rowing machine and reignite that ‘former fitness flame’?

This question (and answer) can be a deal breaker for many. Before you start any form of exercise, you need to consider physical limitations or mobility challenges you might have. If in doubt, consult with a medical professional, especially if you have recently had surgery or are aware of specific medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or arthritis.

#TeamRBF is often contacted by customers who have bought equipment that isn’t right for them, having bought a really heavy piece of static equipment without considering the practical implications (ie they can’t move it). Whilst we aren’t medical professionals, we can arm you with some of the right questions to ask before you press the ‘Buy’ button. Customers should also consider the costs of shipping and returning items, particularly in relation to a company and individual’s carbon footprint.

The answer to this question is quite important as it impacts upon answers to questions 1 to 4. If you aren’t intending to exercise on a regular basis, spend less and opt for a folding piece of equipment that can be stored away when not in use and doesn’t gather dust. Most folding bikes are not designed for heavy use but are more than suitable for a decent workout with sufficient resistance, just a few times a week. The Roger Black Easy Fold Treadmill | Roger Black Fitness is a brilliant choice if you are looking for a running machine that folds away, requires no assembly and has a very slight manual incline. On a very positive note, you never know, you might grow to love your home fitness equipment and want to exercise on a more regular basis, if you are able.

Once you have your list and a few thought-provoking answers, you should feel more confident about your purchase options – possibly more so than trying to predict the British weather. But once you have your home fitness solution in place, you can still enjoy the springlike delights Mother Nature has to offer, albeit from the comfort of your own home.