By Interest in home exercise equipment has skyrocketed thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, manufacturers have been steadily introducing a plethora of new machines offering all sorts of high-tech features. Do not get caught in the trap. Focus on the exercise, not the machine.
You can drop $4000 on a treadmill or stationary bike if you want to. If you want your exercise equipment to look like a high-end piece of furniture you would only find in a million-dollar Hollywood mansion, there are options for that too. You can spend more on a single piece of equipment than you would pay for a good used car. But why would you?
Machines Are Tools
Mcycle is an indoor cycling studio in Salt Lake City. Their bikes are all brand-name bikes with the necessary features to conduct classes. There is nothing wrong with that. To a certain extent, a piece of exercise equipment does have to offer basic features to be worthwhile. At the same time, it’s easy to go overboard. Some of today’s exercise equipment is terribly overloaded with features that no one needs.
Truth be told, no one really needs a piece of exercise equipment. A treadmill isn’t necessary for walking. Walk around the neighborhood instead. One can jog or run, do calisthenics, lift rocks, or whatever. Here’s the point: the devices and machines we use to exercise are merely tools. They are not a means to an end.
That is where so many people fall down. They adopt a mindset that says they cannot achieve their workout goals without using a particular machine. For example, that $200 indoor bike just won’t do. You need the $2000 model if you really want a good workout. Yes, people actually believe that.
When Fancy Machines Motivate
In fairness, there are those among us who are so unmotivated to exercise that only investing in a fancy machine will do the trick. If that’s what it takes, so be it. But what does that say about our willingness and ability to motivate ourselves? Not a whole lot.
In a perfect world, we would all exercise because we know it’s good for us. But the world is far from perfect. Therefore, some sort of extra motivation is required. For some people, that motivation comes in the form of clothes that no longer fit. For others, motivation comes in the form of wanting to feel better. Still others are motivated by fancy exercise equipment.
If you are part of that latter group, consider this: physical fitness is not the only type of fitness you should be concerned about. Your financial fitness is just as important.
Spending Your Money Wisely
Before you invest in a piece of exercise equipment several times more expensive than your weekly salary, consider what such a purchase means for your budget. Also think long and hard about how you’re going to pay for it. If you plan on using a credit card, you are going to pay interest on top of the invoice price.
Financial fitness is all about spending money wisely. It is about finding that balance between income and expenditures, then enhancing it with savings and investment. The goal is to pay your bills now while simultaneously putting something away for the future.
Buying that expensive piece of exercise equipment might temporarily motivate you to exercise more. That’s fine. But will it stretch your budget to the breaking point? Will the purchase prevent you from setting aside money? Focus on exercise, not a machine. See if there is a way you can accomplish your exercise goals without spending so much money.
