NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla. - What equipment is most popular in the health clubs these days?
According to a national panel of 210 fitness centers, members' interest is increasing most in these items:
-- Programmable treadmills (cited by 75 percent of respondents);
-- Electronic recumbent bikes (62 percent);
-- Variable resistance equipment (60 percent);
-- Free weights (60 percent).
"Treadmills have broad appeal because they can be used by anyone, regardless of age or fitness level," said Gregg Hartley, executive director of the Fitness Products Council, which sponsored the study.
"Working out with weights is gaining popularity because studies issued over the past several years have clearly identified strength training as essential to maintaining health, along with aerobic exercise and stretching. Much of the interest in strength training is coming from females. They want to tone muscles and build strength and endurance without bulking up."
Health club members are least interested in cardiovascular equipment that has no motor or can't be programmed, the study found. This includes treadmills, stair/step machines and stationary bikes.
"Our panel said that the most important features to club members in treadmills and stair climbing machines were computerized, programmable control panels," Hartley said.
When it comes to stationary bicycles, however, club members rated seat design (i.e., comfort) as more important than computerized control panels.
A bench-press station was the most important free-weight feature for members, the survey found, followed by a squat rack.
The study was conducted by the research firm Morgan-Horan Inc.
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