Browse the best home gym reviews in SmartMonkeyFitness.com

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2 Welcome to our new guide! Selecting the correct gym equipment is important as it is a big investment. If you make the right selection you will get years of satisfying training with great results, all in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Make the wrong selection and you will end up with an expensive clothes hanger. The following items need to be considered when procuring a gym: Functionality does it offer good quality exercises that deliver results? Quality is it manufactured with the necessary quality and durability to withstand hard and consistent training? pace work out your footprint for your gym

3 Budget Functionality for Home Gym Equipment. In my opinion the key aspect of procuring a gym is that if you hit the weights hard, eat right and take care of yourself, you will get results. If your gym does not allow you to do the major compound exercises like squats, bench press, lat pulldowns, rows etc then you are not only wasting your money you are also wasting the time you have spent training. Isolation exercises are great for shaping existing muscle. But if you don t have enough existing muscle you need to focus on doing compound exercises to build your base strength and muscle mass. You now have to work out whether you want to go the free weight or machine home gym route. When I refer to free weights I mean training the old fashioned way with a power rack, barbells and dumbbells. In regards to home gyms, you will have to decide between a traditional cable style gym or a leverage multi gym. Before you decide on whether to go free weight or a machine, you will need to think about what you are trying to get out of your weight training. If you just want to be fit and healthy and are not too fussed with greatly improving your size and strength a home gym will be the best option. Alternatively if you want to build strength or bulk up then a power rack will be the best bet. If you want to build strength and add muscle mass but can t stand free weight exercises then a leverage home gym is the go. In recent years there has been an avalanche of cheap cable home gyms hitting the market out of China. While some exercises like lat pull-downs or seated rows are great in cable format the majority of the exercises, and in some cases all the exercises on these cheaper gym are just rubbish. Many times these gyms are just replicated from photographs by factories where the people building them don t have any interest in weight training. So it looks like a home gym, but the exercises feel weird and can sometimes been downright dangerous. Give cheap gyms the swerve!

4 There are very good quality cable home gyms on the market but they are nearly always restricted to the weight stack that is on the gym. Some gyms only have 200lb or 90kg stacks. Many gyms have a mechanical advantage the arrangement of the pulleys mean that you can lift 90kgs of weight with only 60kg of force. That might amaze your friends when you show them how strong you are but sooner or later you will get on some proper gym equipment and look like a turkey! Another factor with good quality cable gyms is that they often don t have quality compound exercises. In particular a flat bench press or squat. Seated presses, pec decs, leg extensions and leg curls are good but are no substitute for bench press and squats. They are great for convenience, just put the pin in the weight stack and away you go. You need to work out whether you want to do weight training or not. Home Gym Quality

5 Gym equipment needs to be robust. If you are a committed weight trainer you will be training up to 5 times a week and lifting serious weight. Your gym equipment needs to reflect your commitment. A cheaper home gym simply does not have the feel and quality required for serious weight training. I have seen it so many times; people try and cut corners when buying gym equipment and the following happens: You lose the passion for training as you don t warm to the cheap feel of an inferior gym. Their training is not adequate. They won t train key bodyparts like legs because they don t have the tools to do it. The gym dies and collects dust in the garage End up selling the cheap gym and buying a quality gym losing coin in the process. Although quality gym equipment seems expensive it is actually a smart investment. Buy the right gym and it will give you a lifetime of training plus great results. Plus you will save a fortune on gym fees. A good quality Leverage gym like the Body Solid EXM1500S or Bowflex Blaze allows you to perform many exercises with safety like cable home gyms. > Read our best Home Gym reviews Space This is an issue for most people. There are two factors that you need to consider when selecting your gym equipment. Firstly you have to work out how much space you are willing to set aside for your home gym. Once again you will have to determine how dedicated you are to your training. Remember that you will be training regularly so it might worth sacrificing your collection of crap in your garage/spare room that has not been used in years.

6 Parking the car in the driveway may also be considered. But in reality for most the amount of space will be determined by the missus. With your home gym area worked out, now comes the fun part. Selecting the gym equipment to fill the space. Don t make the common mistake of getting carried away and trying to cram in as much as possible. Training in an overcrowded gym is no fun. I always advise that you go with a little less than try and fit too much in your home gym. Take into consideration that you need to focus on your compound movements to get results and Sam s Fitness has several different packages that can achieve this result without taking up much space at all. The Iron master range is perfect for when space is at a premium. Budget I mentioned previously the investment aspect of buying a home gym. I hate using terms like that because everyone seems to use it these days. But as I have said many times before if you train with weights consistently you will get benefits. Training at home is much more convenient for most people so it will help with your consistency. You need to take into consideration how much you will be spending on gym memberships over the coming years. As above you will most probably need approval from the wife or girlfriend good luck. Conclusion Hopefully this article has given you some ideas on your home gym. Feel free to contact us directly if you need a hand with planning. We get a lot our business through referrals from previous customers so we know we are doing something right.

7 What equipment I should choose? You can launch an effective exercise program using only what nature gave you: your body. But because regular activity remains an elusive goal for most people, a multibillion-dollar industry has blossomed around the promise of surefire success. Health club memberships and home exercise equipment are excellent exercise solutions for many people. Do keep these cautions in mind, though: Even the best equipment and most tricked-out gyms only produce results when used regularly. Learn to use equipment properly to avoid injuries that could sideline you temporarily or permanently. Exercise equipment comes in all sizes, shapes, and price ranges. It pays to check consumer ratings and follow our other tips for smart consumers before making your purchase. Following are some basics you should know if you're in the market.

8 Cardio equipment If you stop by any gym, you'll see rows of machines designed to simulate cycling, walking and running, kayaking, rowing, skiing, and stair climbing. Whether motorized or not, sized for heavy-duty gym use or in lighter home versions, these machines offer good cardio workouts that burn calories and fat. What's more, your workout takes place indoors, away from fickle weather. Price varies from a few hundred dollars to thousands, depending upon whether a machine is motorized or programmable, and whether it has add-ons, such as devices to measure heart rate, calories or METs burned, time elapsed, and so forth. While this information tends not to be entirely accurate, it could encourage you to step up your workouts or may be important if your doctor has advised you to limit activity. The following are some of the more popular types of aerobic exercise equipment. Elliptical trainers These machines provide a circular up-and-down motion that's a cross between a ski machine and a stair-stepper. They provide a nearly impact-free workout, which is easy on the joints. Resistance and grade can be adjusted automatically or manually on some models, and levers with handgrips to work the upper body may be available, too. It may take a little while to get used to the unusual motion. Look for comfortable handlebars and nonslip pedals with curved ridges. Try the machine out at varying speeds and grades to make sure it feels stable. > Read our best Ellipticals reviews

9 Rowing machines Rowing machines work the back, arms, and legs simultaneously, offering as close to a total-body workout as available from a machine. Unless you're used to rowing, the motion initially may feel unfamiliar, and some people find it hard on the back. When purchasing one, consider pulley models instead of piston models for a more realistic rowing experience. > Read our best Ellipticals reviews Spin bikes An exercise bike takes no training and is easy to use, although it can be uncomfortable for long stints. While riding isn't as effective in preventing osteoporosis as weight-bearing exercise, it does provide an excellent cardiovascular workout. Look for a model with a comfortable, adjustable seat and toe clips. If the seat is too hard, find out if you can replace the seat with a cushioned model bought separately. > Read our best Spin Bikes reviews

10 Treadmills Some models offer a flexible, less joint-jarring surface. Opt for a motorized treadmill. When purchasing one, look for a strong motor (the machine will last longer), a belt that's long and wide enough for your stride, a sturdy frame with front side rails for safety, and an emergency stop device. You should be able to adjust the speed and grade so you can walk at a comfortable pace. > Read our best Treadmills reviews Adjustable Dumbbells There have been many studies that have proven the benefits of adding strength training to your daily workout routine. Lifting weights including adjustable dumbbells, in particular, benefit your heart, increases bone strength, improves your balance, and aids greatly in weight loss. Adjustable dumbbells allow you to use a variety of plates that attach to metal bars in order to achieve your desired weight. This is an effective and economical solution to adding lifting to your everyday workout. You could purchase an expensive piece of gym equipment that works only one or two parts of your body to get this beneficial workout, or get one of these adjustable dumbbells as a much more affordable option instead. > Read our best adjustable dumbbells reviews