Pick up your winter fitness regime with a cross trainer or running machine

Nov. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- The kids are back at school, the nights are getting darker and there's a distinct chill in the air – in other words, the winter is coming. Even for the most enthusiastic fitness fans out there, getting up on dark, cold mornings to go for a swim or a run is not particularly appealing, and running around in the dark after work is not only not fun – depending where you live, it's not always particularly safe.

People still want to get fit, however – the cross trainer and the running machine at the gym have never been busier as people attempt to lose the pounds they've piled on over their holidays, and to gear up for the Christmas party season.

The good news is, it's less expensive than you think to get some home gym equipment – such as cross trainers and rowing machines – set up in your own home. Quite often it costs substantially less than an annual gym membership for two people – and if it's there in your house or garage then you're more likely to use it on a dark and stormy night!

Cross trainers are one of the best pieces of home fitness equipment to give you an all-round workout. As well as working arms and legs independently, they also work the core abdominal muscles – giving you a trimmer tummy. http://www.priorysports.co.uk/elliptical-cross-trainers.html

A cross trainer also comes with a range of built-in programmes that enable you to select your goals – such as time or fat burning – maximising your workout, and also heart rate monitors.

Priory Sports offer a range of cross trainers at all price points. For example, the BH Fitness Khronos Cross Trainer is a machine designed not just for home but also for moderate leisure club or hotel use. With a range of built-in programmes, it is self-powering, so there's no need even to plug it in – you can have it anywhere in the house. The Khronos costs just £949.

Rowing machines are another great piece of home fitness equipment, which can also be handily stored out of the way when not in use.

Like a cross trainer, a rowing machine provides an excellent all-over cardiovascular workout. The Bremshey RW3 Rowing Machine from Priory Sports is just £499 and will give you a thorough home workout. It has an easy to understand console so you can monitor your progress and measures such things as distance, time and energy consumption.

Treadmills, aka running machines, are also popular choices and one of the most-used pieces of cardiovascular equipment in most gyms.

Although they are called running machines, treadmills can also be used for walking, so if you're building up your fitness, for example recovering from injury, they are a fantastic choice.

Unlike running on the road, running machines do not do so much damage to your joints, so there is less likelihood of injury using one of these machines. They come with a range of programmes so you can choose the setting you like – from a long, gentle, calorie burning ambles to high-speed hill sprints.
Priory Sports offer a range of running machines, including the BH Fitness Prisma M10 Treadmill for just £699.

To see the full range of home fitness equipment, visit the Priory Sports website.