There's no doubt about it, fitness is the buzzword of the day. Although some people may dismiss the whole thing as a mere fad, constant research is proving the efficacy of exercises as a way of staying healthy and staving off age-related ailments. While, in the past, fitness meant having to go to a gym or brave the weather conditions outdoors, these days more and more people are opting for investing in home fitness equipment. This has of course given rise to a booming industry in workout equipment of all sorts and types, which can often be quite confusing. Generally, the equipment can be divided into two categories: one, that is meant for strength training; and second, that is meant for cardiovascular exercises. Given below are few of the types of equipment that are used by body builders, athletes, and also, ordinary people looking to stay fit and healthy. Treadmill: This is one of the standard cardio equipment most people go in for, and can be bought at a relatively low cost from stores that sell used exercise machine. The advantage of using treadmill is that, you can adjust the speed and increase it progressively. Some models also have adjustable inclines, enabling you to make your workout more challenging. Stationary Bike: This is a great exercise machine for getting the benefits of biking indoors. You can increase the challenge of your workout by increasing the resistance of peddling of the wheel. Not only does it give you a cardio workout, but it also strengthens the leg muscles. Elliptical Machine: Also referred to as cross trainers, an elliptical machine or an elliptical trainer, is one of the best equipment for getting a full-body workout. It has peddles for exercising the legs as well as optional handlebars for the arms. It provides a highly low-impact workout because, no stress is put on the joints while exercising. When used with the handlebars, it enables you to work out your upper body, while the foot peddles, of course, exercise the lower body. It's a great way to burn a lot of calories with comparatively less effort. Step Equipment: This is a simple, yet a very effective machine with which, you can get a cardio workout, plus, use light weights to exercise the upper body, and of course, work the legs and buttocks. You can increase the challenge by adjusting the height of the machine from 4 to 8 inches. Resistance Fitness Equipment: These come in various types, such as, resistance bands, resistance rings, weighted balls, chest expanders, and so on. They mimic weight training by providing resistance to exercise movements. If you're looking for proper toning, shaping, and strengthening of your body, then this is a good buy. Stability Ball: Also referred to as a physio ball or Swiss ball, this equipment is a great way to develop and strengthen the core muscles of the body. You can sit on it and do pelvic tilts, or lie back on it for ab exercises, or use it for stretching exercises, which shows how versatile it is. Weight Machines: These days you get compact multi-gym equipment with which, you can get a total workout, from squats, arm workouts, shoulder workouts, ab crunches, bench presses, to leg extensions - you can do them all on a single piece of the workout equipment!