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Toby from MO · 02-24-2008, 03:29 PM

New member here…my wife and I are looking for some advice on home gym equipment. There is so much to choose from we don’t know where to start. We both work full time. We have two children and a household to maintain. Like most…out time is valuable.

We’re having trouble finding equipment that will fit our budget while being user friendly for both of us to use and/or to match our different lifting needs. She would like to tone/shape her body. I would like to do the same while progressing towards building muscle. At minimum, I’d like to get the most of what we buy…efficient use of our time and as many “full body” type lifts as possible.

I currently have an incline/decline bench press with leg extension/leg curl, preacher curl and lat pull down. I have a curl bar and a couple dumbbell bars. It’s all very cheep equipment but it was free. My current lack of sufficient weight means I have to move weight around weight a lot…not very efficient use of our time. We have both used this equipment enough to determine we’re ready to invest in something that better fits our needs.

We’ve already determined we are buying a set of adjustable dumbbells. So far the Bowflex models seam to get the best reviews but they are expensive….plus $150 additional for the stand. Turbo Bells Dumbbell Set looks to have some merit, affordable, but I cannot find a single review on them.

Our budget for a home gym is approximately $1000…trying to exceed $1250 at the most.

From what I’ve seen…A power rack, smith machine and/or one of the leverage machines would most likely fit my needs but a multi-station home gym would most likely fit my wives needs…much easier for her with not moving weight.

What do you all think…anyone have a good point of view on the +/- for each different type system? Home Gym, Smith Machine, Leverage Machine….I have been looking at Body Solid and BodyCraft home gyms… BodyCraft is a little expensive. I’ve noticed Smith Machines are hard to come by in my price range but Dicks Sporting Goods has one…Life Fitness…which appears to have a lot of free weight, cable weight, smith machine functionality and it has gotten many good reviews for the money. I know nothing about the leverage machines but everywhere I look they are getting decent reviews as well.

If anyone has some experienced insight in to this, i.e. the +/-, different machines, different models, different manufactures, please let me know…I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Toby

02-24-2008, 03:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Toby from MO Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 13 My Profile	New member...New to lifting...Need help New member here…my wife and I are looking for some advice on home gym equipment. There is so much to choose from we don’t know where to start. We both work full time. We have two children and a household to maintain. Like most…out time is valuable. We’re having trouble finding equipment that will fit our budget while being user friendly for both of us to use and/or to match our different lifting needs. She would like to tone/shape her body. I would like to do the same while progressing towards building muscle. At minimum, I’d like to get the most of what we buy…efficient use of our time and as many “full body” type lifts as possible. I currently have an incline/decline bench press with leg extension/leg curl, preacher curl and lat pull down. I have a curl bar and a couple dumbbell bars. It’s all very cheep equipment but it was free. My current lack of sufficient weight means I have to move weight around weight a lot…not very efficient use of our time. We have both used this equipment enough to determine we’re ready to invest in something that better fits our needs. We’ve already determined we are buying a set of adjustable dumbbells. So far the Bowflex models seam to get the best reviews but they are expensive….plus $150 additional for the stand. Turbo Bells Dumbbell Set looks to have some merit, affordable, but I cannot find a single review on them. Our budget for a home gym is approximately $1000…trying to exceed $1250 at the most. From what I’ve seen…A power rack, smith machine and/or one of the leverage machines would most likely fit my needs but a multi-station home gym would most likely fit my wives needs…much easier for her with not moving weight. What do you all think…anyone have a good point of view on the +/- for each different type system? Home Gym, Smith Machine, Leverage Machine….I have been looking at Body Solid and BodyCraft home gyms… BodyCraft is a little expensive. I’ve noticed Smith Machines are hard to come by in my price range but Dicks Sporting Goods has one…Life Fitness…which appears to have a lot of free weight, cable weight, smith machine functionality and it has gotten many good reviews for the money. I know nothing about the leverage machines but everywhere I look they are getting decent reviews as well. If anyone has some experienced insight in to this, i.e. the +/-, different machines, different models, different manufactures, please let me know…I appreciate it. Thanks, Toby