Used Workout Equipment

If you are putting together a home gym, used workout equipment is a great way to start to build your gym without spending an arm and a leg.

There are a number of places where you can find used workout equipment that is still in very good condition. A lot of people buy equipment with the best of intentions, only to have it wind up as a place where they hang their clothes for the next several months or years. Once they finally get tired of dusting the equipment and moving around it, most owners of the barely used exercise equipment will go for the next best possible option. They will try to sell it. Their loss can be your gain. It’s not about compromising on what you want in exercise equipment, it’s about getting a better deal on barely-used equipment than the guy who originally bought it got when it was brand new.

So where do you find used workout equipment? Here are a few options:

• Second-hand stores – There are a number of thrift stores that take donations of second hand exercise equipment. Stores like the Salvation Army, Goodwill and others often have exercise equipment that is in decent condition for a mere fraction of the price that you could get it new.
• Play It Again Sports – This is a fitness and sporting equipment store that buys and sells gently used sporting gear. The benefit of a used sporting equipment store like Play It Again Sports is that you can be fairly certain that the equipment has been tested and is in good working order before you buy it. Another advantage of this type of a store is that, if you happen to have some exercise equipment that you’ve been using as a clothes drying rack, you may be able to reclaim some of your initial investment.
• Garage sales – This is another excellent place to find used exercise equipment. Very seldom is there a garage sale that doesn’t feature some type of sporting equipment – whether it is a treadmill or a few dumbbells. Often, the homeowner will list the garage sale in the newspaper with some of the “big ticket” items that they are selling. Take a look in the garage sale section of your local classifieds so that you can target a few sales to go to. Then, go early. The best stuff is always gone early in the day and exercise equipment is no different.
• Local classifieds – Speaking of your local classifieds, larger pieces of equipment are often offered locally in the local newspaper classifieds, or smaller classifieds publications.
• Estate auctions – Estate auctions can be a great place to find all sorts of bargains and home exercise equipment is no exception. Auction houses will also often cover auctions for now-defunct businesses, such as gyms. You can find auction listings through your local auction houses, or in the Estate Sale section of your newspaper classifieds.
• Craigslist – It has often been said that one can find anything they are looking for on Craigslist. This statement isn’t far from the truth. As a free classifieds service, many people who can’t afford to pay (or don’t want to pay) to advertise elsewhere will advertise on their local section of Craigslist.
• eBay – While the current business model of eBay seems to be focusing more on large volume “Buy It Now” types of sellers, there are still good deals to be found on eBay and other auction websites. The downside to purchasing exercise equipment on a site such as eBay is that you really don’t know the condition of the equipment until you receive it and shipping costs can quickly get out of hand on large pieces of equipment. The upside is that you don’t even have to get out of your chair to buy it.

When purchasing used workout equipment, you do want to be careful to make sure that what you are buying is of decent quality. While some equipment – like dumbbells and barbells – is virtually indestructible, other equipment can have quality issues, so you need to evaluate it carefully in order to make sure you are purchasing something that will last. When shopping for used exercise equipment, take the following steps to assure that you will get the best piece of equipment you possibly can.

• Never purchase any equipment without testing it. If it is a treadmill or some other piece of electrical equipment, ask to plug it in and then hop on the equipment and try it out. If the previous owner doesn’t allow you to try it before you commit to buying it, look elsewhere.
• Check the equipment over thoroughly to make sure there aren’t any loose connections or hidden flaws. Missing screws, loose joints and instability are all signs that the equipment is in poor condition and will fall apart soon.
• Do a little research before you buy. Ask to see owner’s manuals, or call ahead and find out the make and model of the equipment and then Google it for user reviews, owners manuals and more.
• Make sure you have enough space. It is best to determine where you will set up your home gym. Measure the space and make a scale drawing on a piece of graph paper. Then, take your measuring tape and chart and make sure that what you purchase will fit and that you will have enough room to move freely around the equipment.
• Know your goals before you buy. The exercise equipment you purchase will depend largely on what you wish to accomplish. Decide on your plan of action and then buy equipment that meets those needs.

With a little research and a some caution, you can easily buy an affordable, used home gym. Before you know it, you’ll be in great shape!

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