One piece of equipment

Christiethorn1

I love working out at home! I have free weights, a weight bench and a stationary bike. I want to add one other piece of equipment. What is your advice? Treadmill, rowing machine, pilates equipment? My goal is something for cardio...

marciaholland77

I love my rebounder, it's good for every part of my body.

rileyes

If you prefer to be on your feet, go with an elliptical or treadmill.

Treadmills can help you keep a pace. Treadmills can be noisy. You can run outside if climate permits.

Ellipticals require the user to keep a pace. Ellipticals are quiet. They give your joints a break from other days of hard pounding exercises.

I like to be on my feet and use the rower as part of a circuit. I have never tried Pilates.

pmm3437

You have a bike, so your remaining options are treadmill, elliptical, or rower. The one to get is the one you actually like and will use.

Check out a local gym, and get a 1 month visitor pass/membership, and try out each type. Then you can make an informed decision.

jez_4ever

I'd go for a Smith Machine, but that's because I'd like to do more heavy lifting. For cardio, I'd recommend a Precor. It's not bad on your joints and can be a full body workout.

pinkgumdrop123

I would personally choose the rowing machine because it kicks my butt every time.

erickirb

jez_4ever wrote: »

I'd go for a Smith Machine, but that's because I'd like to do more heavy lifting. For cardio, I'd recommend a Precor. It's not bad on your joints and can be a full body workout.

heavy lifting should not be done in a smith machine, it wont allow you to go in a natural plain of motion and can lead to injury. I would suggest a power cage and weights instead, safe due to the catch bars, and much better than smith machine for range of motion, plain of movement and increases in strength.

Emily3907

I say rowing machine, but that is because I currently have a treadmill and Max trainer and want a rower.

For me, a rower provides a more full body workout along with the cardio, so it is a win win.

Queen_Vanellope

If I had to buy one and only one, I would go with rowing machine. It works pretty much your whole body and isn't too high intensity for the days you're not feeling well.

jez_4ever

erickirb wrote: »

jez_4ever wrote: »

I'd go for a Smith Machine, but that's because I'd like to do more heavy lifting. For cardio, I'd recommend a Precor. It's not bad on your joints and can be a full body workout.

heavy lifting should not be done in a smith machine, it wont allow you to go in a natural plain of motion and can lead to injury. I would suggest a power cage and weights instead, safe due to the catch bars, and much better than smith machine for range of motion, plain of movement and increases in strength.

I thought the Smith Machine had the catch bars...In that case, I agree 100% - gotta have the catch bar!

Traveler120

Bicycle - more fun than the stationary one.

999tigger

A concept 2 rower, even a second hand one. All the cardio you will ever need. Obviously its the one you like and will use, but the thing is the rower isnt used much in the gym and its soemthing that takes a bit of getting used to. If you dont like it they hold their value well and are easy to resell.

The only drawback is they can be a bit noisy, so you could look at a water rower as an alternative, which has a far comfier seat, but is much quieter.

rileyes

Free weights work your core and help with balance. Machines do all the balancing for you.

DvlDwnInGA

I would get the stepper that is the moving stairs. Far and away my go to cardio machine. Affectionately known as the moving stairs of doom.

erickirb

power rack (cage): http://www.roguecanada.ca/rml-390f-flat-foot-monster-lite-rack?prod_id=11953&gclid=CM3q-JWJ6McCFdIXHwoddZoFlg

power rack > Smith Machine, by a long shot!

jgnatca

A hula hoop.

47Jacqueline

jgnatca wrote: »

A hula hoop.

Ha!

urloved33

rileyes wrote: »

If you prefer to be on your feet, go with an elliptical or treadmill.

Treadmills can help you keep a pace. Treadmills can be noisy. You can run outside if climate permits.

Ellipticals require the user to keep a pace. Ellipticals are quiet. They give your joints a break from other days of hard pounding exercises.

I like to be on my feet and use the rower as part of a circuit. I have never tried Pilates.

^^this one^^

pondee629

A pull up bar is all the equipment you need. You have yourself. Pushups, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, walking, jogging, running, burpees, jump squats, hip bridges, planks, crunches, sit ups, the the beat goes on...

jez_4ever

erickirb wrote: »

power rack (cage): http://www.roguecanada.ca/rml-390f-flat-foot-monster-lite-rack?prod_id=11953&gclid=CM3q-JWJ6McCFdIXHwoddZoFlg

power rack > Smith Machine, by a long shot!

Nice! Now, I just have to save up my $$

999tigger

Christiethorn1 wrote: »

My goal is something for cardio...

IILikeToMoveItMoveIt

inline skates?

hotnumber

marciaholland77 wrote: »

I love my rebounder, it's good for every part of my body.

I like this idea. But I also love the rowing machine
(when I go to the gym, I don't feel like I've had a complete workout unless I've been on the rower)

Cherimoose

Christiethorn1 wrote: »

What is your advice? Treadmill, rowing machine, pilates equipment? My goal is something for cardio...

Pilates isn't cardio. Personally i'd go with a boxing bag. Lots of fun, and de-stressing too.

Whatever you get, it should be something you know won't become a clothes rack next year. The advice about trying it at a gym first was good.

Machka9

Christiethorn1 wrote: »

I love working out at home! I have free weights, a weight bench and a stationary bike. I want to add one other piece of equipment. What is your advice? Treadmill, rowing machine, pilates equipment? My goal is something for cardio...

We've got a similar collection ... and our next piece of equipment will be a rowing machine.

kyrannosaurus

If I could have one piece of cardio equipment it'd be an elliptical. I couldn't afford one though so I have a stationary bike.

OsricTheKnight

jez_4ever wrote: »

erickirb wrote: »

power rack (cage): http://www.roguecanada.ca/rml-390f-flat-foot-monster-lite-rack?prod_id=11953&gclid=CM3q-JWJ6McCFdIXHwoddZoFlg

power rack > Smith Machine, by a long shot!

Nice! Now, I just have to save up my $$

The rogue rack is solid but you don't have to go so expensive. An adequate rack can be had for 1/3rd the price. Invest in a quality bar instead.

http://shop.fitnessdepot.ca/Power-Rack-Full-Cage-P141.aspx#.Ve_JINNViPI

(Both products linked in canadian dollars so that they are comparable.)

Osric

[Edit: the OP wanted cardio.

You already have a bike, what more do you need?

Rower, treadmill, elliptical are all good. Only the rower does something new (hybrid cardio+strength). Elliptical and treadmill aren't recognizably better than the bike.]

robertw486

I'd look at all the pros and cons of your possible options, along with space and your budget. Then consider the variety of areas you can work with a given piece of equipment, the noise or lack of, where you will place it, etc.


I think a rower would be a better full body workout as compared to an elliptical or treadmill. But having said that, we have a gym quality (older model) elliptical in our great room, and I can jump on that while watching the big flat screen. For that reason I might use it more than if I had a rower in another room.

dlm7507

Kettltbell. Add swings and Turkish get-ups to your routine. Probably the best ROI you could achieve.

TamLam99

I also workout at home and have the same equipment you have (bike and free weights) but we also have a freestanding punching bag that it is a great workout and fun.

BrianSharpe

Whichever one you're going to enjoy and use......over the years I've got great use out of my treadmill (but it's pretty much a laundry rack now that I do 99.9% of my running outside) and my C2 rower.

If I was doing it again I'd skip the treadmill and just get the erg (and check out the C2 machines, they're a little pricey but they're also the gold standard and should give you a lifetime of service with minimal maintenance)