One of the most common mistakes many of us make is buying the wrong piece of exercise equipment for our needs. The first thing you should do before buying any one piece of equipment is to see if there isn’t another machine that can serve multiple purposes.

There was a time when treadmills were all the rage because they provide a great cardio workout. Yes, they do help to strengthen the leg muscles and can be effective in tightening the lower abdomen and buttocks, but if you also need to work on the upper body, they will not do at all.

The same principle applies to exercise bikes. They are great for cardio and strengthening the legs, but the upper body will derive no benefits in terms of shaping, building or conditioning. This is where you may want to consider a piece of home exercise equipment that provides a total body workout if used correctly.

Most gym equipment such as multi-gyms can provide a total body workout, but some of us aren’t into resistance training to that degree. As well, they can be quite expensive. Unless you are also involved in some other form of brisk movement for a good cardio workout, a multi-gym bench and weight set may not be sufficient.

One of the popular pieces of home exercise equipment which many people have found effective in providing both a total body and cardio workout is a rowing machine. These are made to simulate rowing on the water in a boat and you can set your own resistance, speed and distance as you progress in your training.

Rowing machines are more affordable than most other total body workout machines and what many people appreciate is that they can keep up with the news on telly or listen to a radio broadcast whilst rowing from the privacy of their own homes.  It sure beats heading for the gym in the middle of the winter.