Step two in choosing a home gym requires selecting an exercise machine that will help you meet your individual goals. If, for example, your goal might be to lose weight, it makes more sense to buy home gym machines that will allow you to burn fat by raising your heart rate appropriately.

Weight machines would not then be your first choice. Rather, you might find yourself opting for something like a good treadmill or rower, like the SoleF80, which offers an incline feature. Though it may be a little more expensive, having the option to increase your speed or incline is terrific if you are serious about weight loss, as you need to continue to challenge your body as you begin to lose weight. Your body typically plateaus in weight loss and needs an extra challenge.

Choosing Home Gym Machines Part 1

If your goal is to tone or build muscle, you will need to find a good weights machine. This is ideal because, when you build muscle, your body’s metabolism increases, meaning that you actually burn more fat doing the same activities. Your next consideration here, however, might need to be how much space you can afford to surrender in your home. If you have very little space, you may need to find a piece of fitness equipment that can easily be stored when not in use or is compact enough that it fits most small areas, like the Weider Max Ultra. If you are lucky to have enough space, you can get more creative and look for extra features. If you shop carefully, you can find an exercise machine that gives you maximum features but is still reasonable in price.

The Body Craft Galena, for example, offers many of the features of some models that sell for two or three times the amount. Again, the trick to picking the right home fitness equipment begins with deciding exactly what you need, based on your personal goals. It is silly and wasteful to buy more than what you need, but it is equally unproductive to buy something that doesn’t match your purposes. With a little research, you can find the right piece that will help you meet your personal fitness goals.

Part of choosing a home gym machine means deciding exactly how much machine you need.

Not all of us are going to look like Mr. Olympic, nor should we need to. The purposes behind acquiring a home gym machine are as varied as there are people. Step one to picking the right fitness equipment requires deciding what your personal fitness goals might be. Some may choose weight loss, others toning, while some might want to build serious muscle mass. As the saying goes, form must follow function.

This really is great value for a home gym but you don’t get any of the extras that you do with the more up market machines.

The main concept of this machine is to utilise your own body weight to help with strengthening exercises.

Pros:
- Can perform most of the same exercise as the more expensive models
- Fairly easy to move and store away
- Good upper body workout, especially shoulders
- Great Value
Cons:
- Not for developing muscle mass and also not great for lower body or core
- Quality of machine and components is not the best but, for the price,good value.

Some user comments:

“An effective way to trim and tone your body.”

“The Total Gym is easy to use, takes up very little space and is great for keeping the body toned.”

Conclusion:

An inexpensive home gym machine that does the job. If you want or need more sophistication you need to increase your budget!

It seems that the main problem with the EXM1500S is that the supplied instructions are lacking which contributed to many purchasers having a frustrating time constructing the home gym.

However, following the problems with the build, almost every user was pleased with the quality of the machine.

Some user comments:

“ Its smooth action is a delight and both me and my wife love it already.”

“A very nicely designed unit, well-thought-out and rugged, with exceptional customer service and a great price.”

“This is the perfect unit for my setting. Small footprint with versatile functions.”

“As stated by most others the instructions for putting it together are not the best.”

In conclusion:

A very robust and functional home gym machine, that may not be the easiest to put together but, once constructed, will give excellent service for years to come. A “solid” investment?

This home gym comes 90 percent preassembled all in one box.  In fact you can get from unpacking to working out in half an hour or so.  Not bad going.

The BSG10X comes with a compact frame, an everything adjustable approach and, of course, the Powerline 10 year warranty.

Pluses of this home gym:

1. Well built.
2. Comes with most of the main components (especially cables) already assembled. You will need a helping hand to lift, move and hold a section or two while you fasten them together.

3.  Fully adjustable for fit and comfortability.
4. You can purchase and add more weight to the standard 160lbs that come with it.
5. Relatively small footprint.

6. Easier than adding and removing free weight plates when changing exercises.

7. Looks good.

Some user reviews:

“I did alot of comparisons before and after the purchase. I can honestly say – for the value, quality, versatility, and convenience – you just can’t beat it. ”

“Nothing but positives for this machine, very easy to finish assembly,as it comes out of the box almost ready to use.”

In conclusion:

A great home gym that comes 90% built and with a relatively small footprint.