Scratch’s Guide to At-Home Fitness Equipment

When it comes to shellin’ out clams for your fitness, smart shoppers want to get the best bang for their buck. If you’re in the market for some at-home gym equipment, it’s important to know what exactly it is that you’re buying. Fitness equipment can be very expensive, but it can also be worth it provided that you know what you’re gettin’ and you know how it’ll work for you. It’s an investment. So with this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best at-home fitness equipment out there. Whether yer lookin’ for cardio, weight loss, or muscle strength, good ol’ Scratch has got ya covered!

Best Equipment for Cardio: Treadmill

Even this caveman knows that running is pretty much the be-all-end-all of cardio exercise. If goin’ out for a jog outside isn’t really your thing for whatever reason (maybe you feel uncomfortable exercising in public, perhaps your neighborhood ain’t exactly somewhere you’d want to be alone at night, could be you just think it’s too dang hot out there today), then the Treadmill is your cardio solution. The high impact nature of running helps build strong bones and connective tissue. Treadmills also can provide a little extra challenge than your typical run around the block. A number of Treadmills let you set the incline as steep or flat as you like, allowin’ you to more effectively target your muscle groups. Bottom line: when it comes to your cardio routine, you can’t do much better than a good old-fashioned Treadmill.

Best for Equipment for Weight Loss: Elliptical

If you’ve ever been on one of these babies, you know that Elliptical machines are the best machines for cardio workouts if you’re lookin’ to lose weight. Unlike treadmills, this machine works out your entire body. The low-impact nature of Ellipticals means that it’s relatively easy for anyone to use – even if you’ve suffered a recent injury. The only downside of the Elliptical is that you’ve really got to push yourself. Switch up your routine by changing the settings to make it more challenging. If you really push yourself on the Elliptical, you’re guaranteed to maximize your weight loss.

Best for Equipment for Muscle Strength: Workout Bench and Weights

As tempting as those elaborate, spider-like weight-training machines may look, very few of these machines are actually designed for a good, full-body muscle workout. In order to maximize your muscles, you really need to go old school. Investin’ in a good set of free weights and an exercise bench is really all you need. Exercise machines often target only one group of muscles. With an exercise bench and a set of weights, you can work out every part of your body, from your lats to your shoulders, your pecs, your abs, triceps, legs – everythin’! Getting an exercise bench and a set of weights is the best bang for your buck and keeps ya from having to buy a separate machine for each muscle group (even a caveman can see that’d get very expensive very quickly).

So there ya have it – Scratch’s very own guide to smart fitness equipment shopping! Got your very own piece of equipment to add to the best buy list? Leave your suggestions in the comment section!