I was looking to buy some fitness equipment to get in shape.

For building up muscles, the best single piece of equipment is weights. There are also a variety of benches, bars, exercise balls, and machines for use either in conjunction with weights or without to build muscle in specific areas. Weights are either, smaller ones designed for use with one hand called dumbbells, or larger ones in which there is a weight on either end of a bar.

Ellipticals

Depending on how much you would like to spend, you can get various options with your elliptical. Most of them have a full color screen which shows speed, distance, etc. It also has several language options you can choose from if English is not your first language. The resistance magnet gets better with the higher price you pay for your machine. Most models have the option to check your heart rate while working out. Some of the cheaper machines do not have all options available. They are all known for being built to last! It also comes with a longer warranty than most machines available today.