11:30 AM CST on Tuesday, December 20, 2005

By MICHAEL PRECKER / The Dallas Morning News

Too many people go shopping for fitness equipment backward.

"It's like buying a car," says Jay Blahnik, a California trainer with his own line of exercise videos. "If you go first thing and get sucked in by all the shiny toys, you can end up buying a shiny coat hanger."

Checking out the toys, says Noel Mikeska, should be the last step.

"First you have to make the decision to work out and set goals," says Mr. Mikeska, CEO of Your Body Fitness, a Dallas company that supplies equipment to health clubs and maintains a staff of personal trainers.

"Once you've done that, and you get help on how to get there, then you figure out what equipment you need."

It's not really about the equipment, says Gary Glanger, general manager of FitCorp USA, which owns Busy Body, Fitness in Motion and Fitness HQ stores in this area.

"Nobody just wants equipment; they want results," he says. "Do you want to be more energetic, to lose weight, to feel better, to live a longer life? The stuff is just a vehicle for all that."

The goal, Mr. Glanger says, "is to make exercise routine, like brushing your teeth. You want to give yourself as many workout options as possible, but to be successful you have to make this a regular part of your life."

It may sound heretical from Mr. Blahnik, who's on the advisory board of Nautilus, a leading equipment manufacturer. But he says he tells people to start with a fitness program "that doesn't need any equipment."

"First get yourself hooked on walking," he says. "Make sure you'll do it and you want it. Then buy the equipment."

E-mail mprecker@dallasnews.com

Get good advice. Noel Mikeska suggests a session with a personal trainer to evaluate your needs. Gary Glanger says the staff in a fitness store should ask plenty of good questions before they sell you anything.

For example, if you have bad knees or hips you probably don't want a treadmill, which puts stress on both. Elliptical trainers, which are growing in popularity, provide a cardio workout without the impact on your joints.

Balance your needs with your budget. There are $300 treadmills and $6,000 treadmills. Differences range from quality, durability and warranty to assorted bells and whistles.

Cardio monitors and sophisticated programs are nice, but not necessary. Runners need more powerful motors and better cushioning than walkers, who put much less stress on a machine.

Similarly, a cheap set of weights and a simple bench can offer as good a workout as the fanciest home gym. But the basics may not be as appealing.

"You can buy a Kia or a Mercedes, and they'll both get you there," Mr. Glanger says. "The question is, how do you get there and how much will you enjoy the ride?"

Fit your space. Mr. Mikeska says that when you shop, you should bring the measurements of the room you'll be using. The first priority is usually a cardio machine – treadmill, elliptical, stair-climber or stationary bike. Then comes weight training, which can range from a small corner with dumbbells to an elaborate home gym.

"We're seeing more and products that are space-efficient and time-efficient, so going from one to the other is easy," Mr. Blahnik says.

He says the plan should include making the space somewhere you'll want to go.

"You want a room with good energy, good light, good view, a place you enjoy going," he says. "If you like music or TV, include that. My dad bought a treadmill and stuck it in a little room facing a bare wall. I don't think he'll use it much."

Research. There are countless options on the fitness market, but there are also lots of places to sort through them. Check out our list of Web sites above and get some ideas.

Figure out what you like. "If somebody gets a treadmill with the intention of running, but they never liked running, it doesn't change anything," Mr. Blahnik says.

Spend some time on machines at a health club, or give one you're thinking of buying a thorough tryout at the store.

"The question isn't necessarily what's the best workout," Mr. Mikeska says. "It's what you'll use."