The Best Home Gyms

For many avid exercisers, it makes sense to spend a set sum of money, once, on a home gym or other piece of exercise equipment that offers workout variety, versus continuing to spend money annually on a gym membership. Home gyms enable you to perform strength-training exercises in the privacy and convenience of your own home. According to the web site Body Building for you, the best home gyms should be compact, allow you to perform a wide range of total-body exercises with enough resistance, made of quality materials and budget-friendly.

Weider Max Ultra

The best budget home gym is the Weider Max Ultra (formerly the Weider Advantage). "Consumer Reports" (January 2004) recommended this home gym in its review of the top five strength-training exercise machines. Home-Gym-Review recommended it based on its low price (cheaper but comparable to the Bowflex), wide range of full-body exercises you can perform, the leg press plate (a new feature that wasn't on the earlier model), its light weight (there is no weight stack) and the sliding seat feature, which allows for aerobic exercise. Instead of weights, this gym uses the resistance of bendable bars and cables. Resistance can be upgraded from 240 to 440 pounds. It is easy to store as it can be folded to a compact two by two feet. The cost is approximately $400 (2010 prices) without additional resistance bars.

Body Solid EXM-1500S

The Body Solid EXM-1500S is recommended by the Exercise Equipment Expert and Home-Gym-Review web sites. According to Exercise Equipment Expert, this entry-level home gym is as good a home gym as you'll find on the market in this price range ($800 to $899, 2010 prices). It's a versatile, compact home gym with a low pulley station (a desirable feature) mounted on the side of the gym. The low pulley station is optimal for performing a range of arm exercises. This home gym allows you to work all of the major muscle groups effectively, including your chest, legs, back and arms. The Body Solid 1500S offers a heavy-gauge tubular steel frame and tear-proof vinyl pads. It includes a 200-pound alloy weight stack and is covered by a lifetime warranty.

Bowflex Extreme 2SE

A recommended buy according to Exercise Equipment Review's best home gyms (2009), the Bowflex Extreme 2SE retails for about $1,599 (2010 prices). This gym is more affordable than the higher end gyms in the Bowflex line. It is adjustable (for tall and shorter exercisers) and easy to get into proper alignment. It offers adjustable pulleys (in four different positions) for optimal exercise variation and speed since you don't need to switch cables or pulleys between exercises. This home gym offers a lat tower and leg developer (to perform leg extensions and curls) as built-in features as well as the ability to perform full squats. Despite the compact size, you can perform roughly 70 exercises. It comes standard with 210 pounds of Power Rod resistance, upgradeable to 310 or 410 pounds. There is a no-time-limit Power Rod warranty and a seven-year limited warranty.