"Health fitness equipment" is a tricky phrase. When you first see it, it probably makes a whole lot of sense. Health is derived from fitness and fitness is developed by using equipment, right? Well, not really... in fact, you could become really fit and never touch a piece of gym equipment for the rest of your life.
Another aspect to this phrase is the word "health." On the whole, semantics and philosophies set aside - most people see fitness as health, and believe when they get fit - they are now healthy. As I have pointed out in previous articles, health always comes before fitness and fitness must be attained in order to maintain health. Sounds a little confusing, doesn't it? In fact, sounds like a play on words, with a hint of nonsense thrown in for good measure I imagine. I admit there's an air of silliness when explaining this principle, however, as silly as it may sound - it is 100% true.
Health is made up of several factors, with fitness playing its part as well. However, in order to maintain great health, you have to create health on the inside first, which will then flow outwards to your physical form. This is why the phrase "health fitness equipment" is so lop-sided. It only focuses on the equipment used in fitness workouts - that's it. How about the phrase "health" equipment? Is there such a thing? Absolutely!
When I hear the phrase "health equipment" I think of juicers, blenders, food processors, skin brushes, Sisal gloves, etc. The only problem is when everyone else hears it - they don't think of the same stuff! My brother used to be a telephone field technician for over 10 years, and he said he must've visited almost every single house and building in his area of the city where he worked. In his time there he noticed, almost every single home or apartment he stepped into had at least one piece of workout equipment in it. At the same time, he almost never saw a juicer and if he saw a blender, it either had a fine layer of dust on it or it was placed right next to the alcohol where drinks were made. That was literally the extent of the health equipment in peoples' homes, and we wonder why disease is running rampant, as more and more of us succumb to heart disease, cancer and all rest.
Type in the phrase "health fitness equipment" into any search engine and you'll get back a ton of sites dedicated to showing all the best stationary bikes, elliptical machines, and stair masters on the planet. Don't get me wrong, all this stuff is cool and it has real value... but it isn't necessary and it isn't as important as what you put into your body first. You can put your money together and buy a great food processor or blender that you'll use many times to create healthy, nutritious meals; instead of using a bunch of equipment at the gym you have to wait and fight for or buying a piece of equipment that ends up becoming a second closet.
It's just as easy to go to a local park or building and climb the stairs there, rather than using a stair master in a gym with stale air. In fact, it's probably better. You're outside and breathing in the fresh air if you're in the park. If you're climbing up the stairs of a building you get to use the elevator on the way down after your workout - what can beat that?! Seriously, getting "Fit" in America has become synonymous with expensive, and it doesn't have to be. In all honesty, the bulk of your "wellness budget" will probably go on your food - it shouldn't be going towards the equipment you use to become and stay fit.
Legendary salesman Zig Ziglar was famous for saying, "Never settle for the 'get-by' when in the long run, the good costs less." When you buy quality products, they work better and last longer and that's the kind of value most of us look for when we're considering a purchase. Why settle for a stationary bike in a gym, when you can buy a quality bike and go riding outside where you can see real people and real sites. Why go to a gym to walk on a treadmill when you can strap on your sneakers and walk around your neighborhood and go meet new people see great visuals in your own background.
Am I against gyms and fitness equipment? Hardly, I think everything has its place. But I also know that there are many more overweight people in America today than there are people who aren't, and this is with an explosion in gyms, gym memberships and new fitness equipment. We've forgotten the reason we get fit is to be able to be more active. To be able to go do whatever activity we want to, including sexual activity as well. Too many men are falling prey to this belief that their male mojo withers away by the time they reach their 40's... are you kidding me? If you're eating correctly, staying active, and are physically and mentally fit - you should be ready to rock and roll whenever the moment presents itself. This goes for women as well.
If we are going to focus on phrases like "health fitness equipment," than I believe we need to do with the proper perspective. Let's get into "health" first, build that up and get fit in the process. There's never been a time in history when so much has been available to us to be able to get into the best physical and mental shape, any generation before us has ever seen. Take advantage of it and get busy building up your health and fitness... in the proper order of course.
