ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to familiarize the reader with the fitness equipment presently on the market. It covers the specific equipment that includes the following: exercise treadmills, exercise cycles, stair climbers, rowing machines, cross-country ski machines and weight training equipment. Fitness instructors are the most often asked persons regarding the purchase of equipment for home or institutional use. Generally speaking, aerobic equipment can be divided into six categories: treadmills, stationary cycle ergometers, steppers and climbers, cross-country ski machines, aerobic riders, and rowing machines. Strength or resistance training equipment falls into three general categories: isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic equipment. Isometric equipment generally produces very slow movements and has a very high static component. Stair steppers or climbers are two of the most popular additions to the line of fitness equipment. Stair steppers are available in two main varieties: escalator type and the pedal type. The pedal-type stepper actually puts less stress on the knees than the escalator-type stair climbers.
