Best Home Gyms

Home gyms differ in how resistance is generated. Depending on your weight building needs, the four home gym resistance types to choose from are selectors, plate loading, power rods, and glideboard home gyms. Here is a short description of each and their benefits to help you decide:

Weight Stack/Selectorized Home Gyms: Like what you would find at your local gym, selectorized home gyms have rectangular weights that are vertically pulled by a cable. Weights are selected by pins for simple, quick resistance changes.

Plate Loading Home Gyms: Plate loading home gyms have slots for weights plates and users manually add and adjust weights as needed. Offering more versatility, these machines are suitable for beginners right through to professionals and are easily adjustable as you improve.

Power Rod/Progressive Home Gyms: Using flexible rods instead of weights, power rod home gyms offer a better range of motions. As rods bend, so the resistance increases. These home gyms are a good solution for smaller areas where there isn’t a lot of space for extra weights.

Glideboard Home Gyms: Glideboard home gyms create resistance from the users body weights and mounted pulleys and can be adjusted based on how steep they place the pulleys. Better suited for beginners, these are compact home gym solutions.

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

1. Assembly: The easier the set-up is, the better the home gym reviews are. Models with easy setup and/or easy to follow instructions are much more valued by their owners than those that have complicated setup and unclear instructions.
2. Exercise Options: Home gyms that allow users to exercise almost all muscle groups are rated much better than those that don’t. The more exercise options a home gym has, the less likely you will be to spend more on additional equipment.
3. Storage: This is a particular concern for home gym owners who do not have a designated gym area or who have smaller homes. Home gyms that are lightweight and fold for easier storage are rated higher and their owners are more satisfied with their purchases.
4. Extras: Most of the home gyms rated well by consumers include additional workout books, videos, or plans with the purchase, an extra that is particularly valued by beginners. Making sure you know how to operate your home gym correctly will not only help you to get better results but is vital for working out safely.

• How much space do you have? Whether you are going to place your home gym in a designated exercise room or in your living space will have a big influence on which home gym you decide to buy. If you don’t need to move around your equipment, then measure the area you wish to place your home gym in and compare it to product specifications to make sure it fits. If you are looking for a unit that can be stored out of sight when not in use, then a folding, lighter model may suit you better.
• The more workout options your home gym allows, the less additional equipment you will need to buy to ensure a well-rounded, full body workout.
• For better comfort, or if the home gym is going to be used by multiple exercisers, opt for a home gym that can be adjusted to fit the user perfectly.
• The first thing to consider is your workout level as this will determine what kind of resistance range you need. A beginner or someone looking to maintain some light tuning may find a more cost effective glideboard is the better option. Someone who wants to do some serious training or grow into their machine, on the other hand, might choose a plate-loading gym. Choosing based on your level not only will ensure you buy the right equipment for the right workout but will ensure you will be working out safely.
• When deciding on the amount of resistance you need, factor in a lot of room for improvement and buy a machine that offers you the best resistance ranges, especially as a beginner. This will ensure that your home gym will be a long term investment.
• A good quality home gym will more than likely include a lifetime warranty and will give you a lot more peace of mind and investment protection should something break.
• To protect the floors underneath you home gym equipment, a floor mat is highly recommended.