Frequently Asked Questions - How To Select Equipment

A number of factors guide you to the choice of equipment that suits you best, and the knowledge you need can’t be found in ads or infomercials. If you have or know a personal trainer, consult them about your fitness plan and goal-setting, as well as how to plan your home exercise space. Or come on in to your nearest Chicago Home Fitness Store and create your plan with one of our experienced, certified home fitness professionals.

You really do get what you pay for. In addition, there is a direct correlation between the investment you make and likelihood you will use the equipment… and the more you use it, the higher quality it needs to be.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a magic machine and the best there is, if you don’t like to use it, you won’t—and you won’t see the results want. Buy what you enjoy using. You have an open invitation to wear your workout gear to any of our stores and test-drive different kinds and models of equipment until you find the one that feels just right.

Why choose a home treadmill? No rain, wind or snow. No bugs. No traffic fumes. No ill- tempered dogs. No hard pavements. You can walk, jog or run as far, as fast and as long as you want—whenever you want. But there are some important things you should know before you buy.
For more information, see our treadmill buying advice.

Come in for a test drive, and feel how the elliptical motion combines walking, stepping, and cycling into one movement. For the past few years, elliptical cross-trainers have been the hottest thing in fitness—providing a safe, effective cardiovascular workout for the de-conditioned user and the seasoned athlete alike. In fact, the non-impact motion has allowed people to return to exercise who couldn’t before due to a physical limitation, such as joint pain. For more information, see our elliptical buying advice.

Exercise bikes (stationary bikes) are an excellent, low-to-no-impact cardio and weight-loss choice. You can pedal away the fat—and never get a flat. But which bike is ideal for you? Upright, recumbent or dual action? What resistance type? Workout feedback? Warranty?
For more information, see our exercise bike buying advice.

Home gyms are a great way to get a full-body, strength-training workout in the convenience of your home. They offer space-saving, user-friendly designs, with many brands, models, and exercise packages to choose from. Home gyms can be a significant investment, and we strongly recommend consulting a fitness equipment specialist before making a purchase decision.
For more information, see our home gym buying advice.

For a reasonable cost, in little space, free weights will give you the greatest variety of exercises per $ invested and square footage used. Working with free weights is an efficient exercise form because you engage multiple muscle groups, as opposed to machines which typically focus on a muscle or group.
For more information, see our home gym buying advice.

Functional strength training is a range of total-body activities that build strength, balance and coordination for general fitness, and improves your ability to perform general, day-to-day activities.

The most popular fitness accessories include heart rate monitors, exercise balls, floor mats, yoga products, and medicine balls. Incorporating them into your workout routine is a great way to add variety and serve the strength and flexibility components of your overall fitness plan. We carry a full selection of SPRI fitness accessories and Polar heart rate monitors.

Make your local Chicago Home Fitness Store your personal fitness information center. Bring your questions on any aspect of home fitness and exercise. Our certified fitness professionals are walking encyclopedias of information, and you’ll have all of their attention. They’ll be glad to share their knowledge and help you make the informed decisions that will get you the results you want. Be open and candid about your fitness goals. The more information he or she has, the better their advice will be.