The science of fitness clothing has come a long way from those baggy cotton sweatshirts and knit leg warmers of previous decades. Today, exercisers have a vast array of choices for workout fabrics, and choosing appropriate materials for a particular sport or purpose can be a difficult process.

Most exercise equipment tends to be big, bulky and takes up a lot of space, which might turn off some consumers who are looking to build a home gym. There are foldable exercise equipment options available if you're tight on space.

Exercising on a treadmill in your own apartment isn't a completely private pastime. The noise of a treadmill travels well beyond your own walls. The vibration of running might jar objects loose in other rooms or cause valued possessions to fall from shelves.

Any amount of exercise is generally better than none, but 10 minutes on the treadmill won’t help much on its own.

You may be somewhat surprised at the size of your elliptical trainer when you first set it up in your home. The space requirement for an elliptical can be deceiving if you have only seen one at a fitness studio -- an environment that typically has several elliptical trainers standing in large, open spaces.

It can be very frustrating to suddenly have your ProForm treadmill start making excessive noise, whether it is a clunking, vibrating, humming or squealing noise. A motorized ProForm treadmill has a lot of moving parts. If these parts become worn or loose, they can make a variety of noises.

The console of a treadmill displays immediate feedback about your current workout, including distance, time, grade, calories burned and speed. If the console displays that your current speed is 10, this could mean 10 mph or 10 kph, depending on your treadmill make and model and how you set up your machine.

Treadmills provide a measurement of the distance covered in a workout, typically in either kilometers or miles. If your treadmill isn't displaying properly, modify the display to show the correct measurement.

Although you hope nothing goes wrong with your NordicTrack treadmill, it's best to be prepared in case something does. Many glitches involving the controls on the console can be solved relatively quickly with some simple troubleshooting steps.

If your time on an exercise bike consists of leisurely pedaling while paying more attention to the overhead TV than to your heart rate, level of intensity or speed, then an exercise bike will not provide a good cardio workout.

Regular strength training builds strong bones, muscles and connective tissue. The muscular strength and endurance you gain from lifting weights can also make everyday movements, such as carrying groceries or moving boxes at work, feel easier.

The Perfect Pushup is a piece of workout equipment that increases muscle activation when performing push-ups.