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There was a time when, if you wanted a personal trainer, you had to pay for one each visit. Or, if you wanted to sit in on aerobics, you had to drive to the gym. For some, those days are gone with the advancements in today’s exercise technology. Because when there’s an interactive personal trainer that comes with your treadmill, why bother driving to the gym?

Don’t get us wrong. Working out the old-fashioned way will never go out of style. But getting the recommended one hour of cardio exercise three days per week isn’t always easy. Between making room in your busy workday and taking care of the kids, there’s not always time to leave the house. And what matters most is that we never miss a workout, right?

"One thing I try to tell my patients is there is not one particular exercise you need to do. Not everybody needs to get out there and run," says John Frank, MD, a cardiologist with SCL Heart & Vascular Institute - Northglenn. "You can choose what you want to do. It's really what suits you the best, but the key is to stay active."

With an at-home cardio studio, exercising is a convenient alternative to going to the gym. While the baby is taking a nap between meetings, just hit start on the treadmill and go. Before you know it, you’ll be burning calories, clearing arteries, and strengthening heart muscles.

At-home cardio equipment has never been more accessible and more exciting. Stationary bikes now come with Bluetooth connectivity and 22-inch screens so that you can take in the scenery in HD quality. Or use the touchscreen controls to adjust your resistance. Pretty cool, right?

If you’re a rower, the machines now use air resistance, not motors, and they are more portable than ever before. Fold them up and hide them in the baby’s room if you must—no big deal. You can even get yourself a mounted-wall touch screen, where an interactive aerobics instructor leads you through exercises in your own home. Seriously!

So, if hearing about these advancements is already elevating your BPMs, then give your heart a healthy boost and turn up your home gym to the next level today.

Disclaimer: Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.