Fitness
Exercise at home: Tips for buying a fitness machine | Parkview Health
Fitness machines such as treadmills, stair-climbers, stationary bikes and cross-country skiing machines are popular ways to work out. They all offer aerobic exercise, and some can also strengthen your muscles. Additionally, many machines will tell you your heart rate, calories burned or miles covered and let you control the intensity of your activity. These indoor fitness machines are especially good for exercising when the weather is bad or the days are short.
If you’re looking for ways to increase your exercise, having a fitness machine right in your home could be a convenient option. To help you be informed before making a big purchase, we’re breaking down popular types of fitness machines and sharing a few considerations to think through before you buy.
Popular Types of Fitness Machines
Treadmills. Treadmills let you walk or jog while seeing your time, distance and speed. Many have adjustable inclines to provide a greater challenge if desired. The treadmill should have handrails (located in front) to help you keep your balance or to steady yourself now and then. But you should not hold onto them during exercise. It’s better to swing your arms as you walk or jog and to use the handrails only when you need them.
Stationary bicycles. These work much like regular bikes except they don’t move. Many also come equipped with computers to track your workouts or even programs to simulate real bicycle courses. While nice, these extras aren’t a necessity. It’s more important to select a bike with a good overall design. Look for a bike that pedals smoothly and has a comfortable seat. Make sure the seat height can be adjusted, as a seat that’s too high or low could cause knee or hip pain. Ideally, you want to have a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of your pedal stroke.
Cross-country ski machines. These machines are very good for burning calories and can help you build both upper- and lower-body muscles. They are also low impact, putting little stress on your joints. As they mimic cross-country skiing, using one does require coordination. Additionally, they may tire you sooner than other machines because they use muscles in both the upper and lower body. If you are new to these machines, start slowly (5 to 10 minutes a session). Bit by bit, do more as you are able.
Stair-climbers (stepping machines). Stair-climbers target your lower body muscles. They create the feeling of climbing a continuous flight of stairs. While they don’t require any special coordination, beginners should start slowly. Bit by bit, you can increase intensity and length of time on these machines. Keep good posture and avoid leaning on the handrails.
Elliptical cross-trainers. These machines combine elements of treadmills, stair-climbers, cycles, and cross-country ski machines. Some elliptical machines have arm resistance to work both the upper and lower body. Like ski machines, they require some coordination and may tire you faster than other machines. But they give a very thorough aerobic workout along with some resistance training.
Considerations when buying a fitness machine
Advertising for fitness products often promises large gains with little effort. This is a promise that sounds good but is rarely true. Before you buy, think about these tips.
- Be sure you already like the activity. A machine or device probably won’t make you like an activity that you dislike in the first place.
- If you buy through an advertisement or online, check the dates for return. Make sure you can return it if you don’t like it.
- Test a machine in the store or a gym before you decide to buy it. Make sure it feels right to you. Sometimes the more expensive machines work more smoothly and make exercise more comfortable and fun.
- Talk to an expert. Get the opinion of a trainer, Sports Medicine professional or experienced person at a health club, YMCA or other fitness setting about the equipment you are interested in. Always get clearance from your primary care provider before beginning a new exercise regimen.
- Think about whether you really need a fitness machine. Many products promise to help tone and develop muscles in the belly, thighs or buttocks. But you can strengthen and tone these muscles without special devices. And most devices don’t make it easier or safer than doing exercises on your own.
Read the article on affordable alternatives to gym memberships.
A partnership for better health
Purchasing the medical and wellness products you need to enhance your health journey is now easier than ever. Parkview and Best Buy have teamed up to provide you with a specially curated selection of products that are recommended by the Parkview healthcare providers you trust. It’s a partnership built on helping you simply and conveniently achieve your health goals. To view the selection, visit BestBuy.com/Parkview.
Note: This website is regularly updated as new products become available. Prices will also be updated to reflect any sales or special offers from Best Buy.
Copyrighted material adapted with permission from Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
Fitness
Alexandra Daddario, 40, Relies on This Underrated Crunch Upgrade for Strong Abs – Here’s How to Do It Properly
From enduring some serious physical prep for Baywatch to working consistently with elite trainer Patrick Murphy, Alexandra Daddario’s dedication to fitness is well-documented. She often shares insights on social media, and in a recent Instagram post, the White Lotus star gave an insight into how she trains her core with one powerhouse movement: the reverse crunch into shoulder stand.
Why is it so good? Most traditional ab exercises require repetitive spinal flexion—the process of pulling your chest down toward your knees, like in a standard crunch. This isolates only the upper section of your abs, and for women who spend hours sitting at a desk, it can reinforce a slouched, rounded posture.
Daddario’s movement flips the mechanics entirely since you actively curl your pelvis up toward your chest. In doing so, you target not only your upper abs, but the lower portion and your obliques (the sides) simultaneously, all while keeping your chest open and your neck unstrained. This translates into a much stronger core, better posture and crucial lower back protection. Research also shows that a controlled posterior tilt – the lower-body curl that initiates Daddario’s move – recruits a significantly higher percentage of deep core muscle fibers than traditional crunches.
Daddario then drives her hips directly up into a vertical shoulder stand. This completely removes momentum from the equation (meaning you can’t “cheat”) and forces your abs—particularly your obliques—to balance your body and prevent you from tipping sideways.
She then takes it one step further into a Pilates plow position with her legs overhead, before reversing the movement and, again, using her abs to control the lowering of her entire lower body as she slowly unrolls her spine down onto the mat. The plow portion is optional (and super advanced); the slow, controlled, lowering phase, which happens whether you move into plow or not, is where the magic happens, challenging your core through both lifting and resisting gravity. Inspired? Here’s exactly how to do the move with good form, and how many reps and sets to aim for.
How to do a reverse crunch into shoulder stand
- Lie on your back (either on a mat, or on a reformer Pilates machine, like Daddario, with your arms anchored tightly to the floor.
- Engage your core to curl your knees toward your chest, then fluidly press your feet straight up toward the ceiling, lifting your hips and lower back off the floor.
- Slowly lower down, one vertebra at a time. Aim for 3 sets of 6-8 controlled reps.
Optional progression:
- As you reach shoulder stand with your legs extended to the ceiling, slowly start to lower your toes toward the floor over your head. Your weight should rest entirely on your shoulders and upper back – not your neck.
- Keeping your legs straight, use your core to extend them straight back up to the ceiling, then control the descent by rolling your spine down one vertebra at a time, with your legs remaining straight.
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
Fitness
Steffie Bryant, Alistair Brownlee to Share AI, Performance Insights at European Congress – Health & Fitness Association
From artificial intelligence to elite sport, the HFA European Congress keynote speakers will explore the forces reshaping health and fitness around the world.
By Lia Palazzo, Manager of Public Affairs
Steffie Bryant and Alistair Brownlee are set to offer the two keynote addresses at the 2026 HFA European Congress.
Artificial intelligence and high-performance leadership will take center stage at the 2026 HFA European Congress, where Keepme.ai President Steffie Bryant and two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee will headline the annual gathering of fitness industry leaders.
The Congress, scheduled for September 24-26 at London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will bring together executives, operators, suppliers, investors, and innovators from more than 35 countries to explore the trends shaping the future of health and fitness.
Bryant will open the event on September 24 with a keynote examining how artificial intelligence is transforming fitness businesses. As president of Keepme.ai, she has helped clubs adopt AI-driven tools to strengthen member engagement, improve operations, and drive sustainable growth. Her session will focus on how operators can leverage emerging technology while maintaining a people-first approach. Her keynote is sponsored by Keepme.ai.
Brownlee will headline the second day of the Congress, sharing lessons from Olympic competition, entrepreneurship, and health innovation. The only athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in the individual triathlon, Brownlee is also founder of sports nutrition company truefuels, an investor in health and wellness companies, and co-founder of the Brownlee Foundation, which promotes youth participation in sport.
The speaker lineup reflects this year’s Congress theme, One Vision. One Voice., which focuses on the role innovation, collaboration, and leadership will play in the next chapter of the global fitness industry.
In addition to the keynote presentations, attendees will hear from more than 40 speakers from the fitness sector and related industries addressing trends, GLP-1 usage and exercise, emerging markets to watch, investment opportunities, retention, payment ecosystems, corporate wellness, community initiatives, and more. The full schedule can be viewed here and includes time to connect with suppliers in the Sponsor Marketplace. On September 26, attendees can participate in club and studio tours across London. The club tours can be added at the time of registration.
Presented in partnership with ukactive and hosted by industry leader David Minton of EVOLVE, the HFA European Congress is the industry’s premier European event, offering business leaders insight into emerging trends, new technologies, and opportunities shaping the future of the industry.
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE SIERRA FRONT... * Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 420 Northern Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Southern Washoe, Western Lyon, and Far Southern Lassen Counties. * Winds...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * Humidity...Afternoon minimums of 12 to 20 percent. * Duration...2 to 5 hours Friday with 3 to 8 hours Saturday. * Impacts...The combination of gusty winds and dry fuels can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires. Follow local fire restrictions. Check weather.gov/reno for updates and livingwithfire.info for preparedness tips. &&
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR WASHOE LAKE... * WHAT...Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for Washoe Lake. * WHERE...Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area. * WHEN...Until 11 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Small boats, kayaks and paddle boards will be prone to capsizing and should remain off lake waters until conditions improve. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds may briefly subside tonight before increasing again early Saturday morning. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Check lake conditions before heading out and be prepared for a sudden increase in winds and wave heights. Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind. &&
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