Building a home gym is a pretty pricy project. Get dumbbells, a cardio machine and a few resistance bands and you're already looking at spending hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars.
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That's why timing is key when it comes to finding fitness equipment sales. After all, who doesn't love a good deal? Learn the best time to buy exercise equipment and browse a few of our top picks for your next (savvy) shopping spree.
The 3 Best Times to Buy Fitness Equipment
1. The End of the Year
Without a doubt, the best time to buy a treadmill or exercise machine is the winter holiday season, according to Colleen Logan, vice president of marketing for the iFit virtual training platform. That's when demand and sales spike.
Companies like NordicTrack, ProForm and FreeMotion have equipment on sale from around Black Friday (November 26) through the beginning of the year.
2. Around Food-Based Holidays
Fitness equipment sales follow an interesting trend. The best time of year to buy exercise equipment is around the biggest food-based holidays, according to Logan.
The first: Thanksgiving (the third Thursday in November). The second: Superbowl Sunday (typically the first Sunday in February). So, if you have your sights set on a new elliptical or stationary bike, browsing online during these holidays is a good idea.
There are a few summertime holidays, like Memorial Day (May 30) and Labor Day (September 6) that are common sale times, too, according to Logan. These sales don't generally apply to as many products as some of the others, but can still be a good opportunity to score a deal.
Tip
Some companies sprinkle random sales throughout the year, so it's good to keep an eye out at all times.
The best way to stay in-the-know is by subscribing to weekly newsletters or e-mails from your favorite equipment brands.
3. When Local Gyms Close Down
Unfortunately for gym owners, upholding a large-scale facility is tough. That means gyms close pretty often. But that also means they have a ton of equipment to get rid of. Often, when gyms go under, they sell off used machines at a discounted rate.
A clever way to score your favorite exercise machine at a low price: If you find out that a local gym is going out of business, stop in and ask what the gym is doing with its used equipment.
Look Out for Sales on Our Favorite Fitness Machines and Equipment
- Treadmill: Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill (Echelon.com, $1,299.99)
- Bike: Peloton (Onepeloton.com, $1,495)
- Elliptical: Precor Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer EFX 885 (Amazon.com, $3,699)
- Rower: NordicTrack RW700 (NordicTrack.com, $1,299)
- Dumbbell: Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Weights (Amazon.com, $399)
- Band: RitFit Pull Up Assist Band (Amazon.com, $5.19)
- Power Rack: Rogue RML-390F Flat Foot Monster Lite Rack (Rogue.com, $795)
COVID's Effect on Exercise Equipment Sale Dates
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer fitness equipment sales have been happening.
Early in the pandemic, about 60 percent of gym-going Americans planned to cancel their memberships, according to RunRepeat's analysis of COVID's impact on the fitness industry. And about 59 percent of people didn't plan to ever go back to the gym.
That means at-home fitness equipment is selling very well, Logan says. So, most companies don't feel the need to hold quite as many small-scale sales throughout the year. And that's true across the board for all machines (especially cardio), including treadmills, ellipticals, rowers and bikes as well as equipment like dumbbells and resistance bands.
