Treadmills

A common feature in gyms and fitness centres, treadmills are becoming increasingly popular as part of a home gym too. One bonus of their increasing popularity is that they've become much more widely available and reasonably priced.

Although you'll need to invest in a more expensive model to recreate the standard of machine you'll be able to find in your gym, you can still find a good quality machine from between £600 and £1200.

Treadmills enable you to work on your cardiovascular fitness at your own pace and on your own terms, as well as being a great way to tone your leg muscles. They have an advantage over running outdoors because they are much more low-impact on the joints. And when you're indoors you can watch TV at the same time. Plus you won't get rained on or chased by dogs either.

All models enable you to choose your speed, so you can walk, jog or run. The most basic models don't have a motor but are powered by the runner's own stepping motion. Manual versions are considerably cheaper, but it's worth bearing in mind that it's very hard to keep a constant speed when you're controlling it yourself, which makes it much harder to monitor your workout.

More sophisticated machines enable you to adjust the gradient of the slope too, so you can give yourself a more challenging workout by walking or running uphill. Many models also include a range of customised programmes, so you can choose a workout that will put you through your paces. Built in heart rate monitors enable you to monitor your own level of exertion, and keep yourself working at the right pace to burn calories most efficiently.