Used Exercise Equipment

There are a few questions typically associated with used exercise equipment;

Where can I find used exercise equipment?

How much equipment does a home gym need?

How to get the best deals on used equipment?

It is vital to understand where used equipment comes from before you are ready to find the best places to get it. First off most used equipment comes from gyms who are turning over their stuff to get new ones. It is similar to the rental car industry, Hertz leases the car from Toyota and gets a good deal because they get so many. Hertz then charges you more to use the vehicle, but they only need the car for a certain period of time before their margins die out. This typically happens around 30,000 miles as this is the best time to get the most value for the car on a resale.

Gym equipment is the same way, the company that needs the most of it is the big gyms out there, Golds, 24 Hr Fitness etc. They need to keep quality stuff on the floor for new members, so when the stuff becomes outdated, typically around 5 to 7 years, they turn it over or end their lease.

If they turn it over it means they sell it to a big merchandiser, rather than sell it piece meal garage sale style, they sell it all to a middle man who then sells it to you. The absolute best deals are found if you can get in between the Gym and the middle man. If not you can still get really good deals from the merchandiser.

If they were leasing the equipment it means it goes back to the company representing the manufacturer and they sell it to the public. This can be advantageous too because the company may be offering a limited warranty on the used treadmills or elliptical machine. This is obviously more than the guy selling it on craigslist.

The last place to look is the classifieds. This is a crap shoot because you never really know why they are selling it. The up side is that if you know how to evaluate the machine; you can take advantage of the guy who bought it to 'finally' get in shape, who never made it past January 31st in his new years resolution.

It depends on two very important factors; your goal and your budget.

• Your Goals

What are you trying to accomplish as a health enthusiast. Is it more important that you gain muscle mass, or that you lower your cholesterol? My guess is most people reading this are just trying to live a healthier lifestyle, you want to make it as easy as possible to get the ball rolling toward a better more healthy life.

If this is the case then you need to create a set-up that is both convenient and effective. This can be a little tricky but more often than not involves a tv. By placing the used treadmills and other equipment in a room where you can divert your attention you are more likely to stay on the program longer.

It is also good to place the equipment in a room where you must see it consistantly, but it is also important you can pull the rug if the program is not working.

• Budget
  

Budget will be the next determining factor. If you have the money to buy equipment that can raise your heart rate and define some muscle you will better off than choosing just one or the other.

The first place where you have the most leverage to buy used exercise equipment is the open market with people desperate to make up for a bad purchase. Every January there are hundreds of people in your area who make new years resolutions with a new treadmill they got for Christmas. Well turns out every March, April and May those same people have lost the battle and just want their money back.

When you evaluate this equipment you need to call and see who the manufacture is, get their number and call to see if there is a way to check the amount of hours the machine has on it. If you can't the same rules apply as they do to used car buying. When you buy used treadmills you need to evaluate all the moving parts. Get on it, run it a few minutes listening to your feet as they hit the pad, feel whether the treads pause when your foot strikes, as this can be a sign of a weak motor.