Shopping for Your Home Gym: Cardio Options to Consider

Treadmills and spin bikes and ellipticals, oh my! Rowers and steppers and cross-trainers, oh no! So many options -- and if you're like me, so little money - when it comes to selecting the perfect cardio equipment for your home gym. It's enough to make me want to eat an entire carton of Double Chocolate Fudge Riple ice cream with extra hot fudge sauce. Oops.

In most seasons, I enjoy briskly walking to keep my cardiovascular system in tip-top shape. But recently, the wilds and whims of winter made me decide to invest in some cardio equipment so I can exercise inside my home. The challenge? Figuring out the right solution for my preferences and budget.

Showdown at the Cardio Corral

My goal: find an option well under $200.

Because I like to walk, I first considered treadmills. The price combined with the necessary space, however, made me step off that option. Next up: stair-steppers. For my budget, though, what I could afford seemed more like a miniature staircase without handles than a gym-quality stair-stepper.

I then tried out different exercise bikes. Local options, however, seemed meager (I live in a small town). I decided to take my chances with a small bike sold on Amazon.com.

It took a few attempts to assemble this gadget, and I still haven't figured out how to adjust the straps. However, once I had the basics in place, I felt that it was worth the $40.00 I spent. It takes up minimal space, and I can sit in any chair I want while I pedal away. Although I do have to adjust the tension up to its highest level, it's good for a warm-up or cool-down. And if I just want a quick, relatively easy 10-minute workout, it does the job.

Next up: an elliptical that I purchased at a church rummage sale. It creaked when I tried it out there, but the woman selling it assured me that once it got going, it worked without noise.

After I got it home, I tried it out for a longer period of time. Creak, whine, creak, whine -- at least those noises came from the machine, not me! At $15, I can't really complain. The problem for me: I can't get much of a workout from this model. When a neighbor offered me $10 for it, I gladly accepted and figure that I learned from the experience (next time I purchase something similar at a rummage sale, I'll make sure it meets my needs before I buy!).

Last, but definitely not least: the In Motion Compact Elliptical Trainer from QVC. I did have to ask a friend to help me assemble it. However, it comes with a DVD that includes details on how to use it as well as the assembly itself. More manufacturers should offer such DVDs: I feel it made a definite difference in my understanding of how best to use the product for my needs.

On rainy days, I start out with a low tension, then get going on the mini bike. And for my "real" cardio workout, I climb onto my compact elliptical trainer. Included are resistance bands, so that I can work my arms while I'm exercising. I appreciate the way in which I can adjust the tension easily, and the little timer lets me track how long I've gone.