What's the best home gym you can buy?

[Descartes]

For a reasonable price (~$1000). I found this one at our local Oshman's, and thought it was nice. It was right around $1000. Any thoughts?

I have a personal trainer and a gym membership, but sometimes I just want to workout and be done with, not have to get dressed, drive to the gym, etc..

 

[lowtech1]

A pair of running shoes.

 

[NutBucket]

Bowflex.

Not. Must mean something if they have to run ads every 10 minutes on seemingly every channel on Directv.:disgust::frown:

 

[SpecialEd]

the bow flex doesn't look too bad to me. I bet the bow flex complimented with free weights would be a good combo for a home gym.

 

[Descartes]

With the Bowflex, you can see that their arms are vibrating because it doesn't offer a smooth range of motion. At least, that's what I see from the commercials, I have yet to actually use it myself.

 

[Maki]

A coworker has a bowflex. He swears buy it. Apparently it takes some getting used to.

I like the looks of the schwinn 701. I've seen it for around $800 at a Galyans.

 

[GT578]

Arms shake when you're not used to it......Its just like free weight except the tension is consistent throughout the range of motion. I've had it for about year and a half now and it does work.....I'm just too lazy to be working out on it on a regular basis.

 

[SpecialEd]

I think their arms were shaking because it requires balance to stablize the weights... A lot of machines limit the range of motion by locking the handles to move in only one direction... this makes it easier to lift however eliminates the need to balance the weights... which its actually a very important part of lifting.

I'm sure if the guy in the infomerical lowered the resistance some, he would be able have a smooth work out.

 

[Mutilator]

Apparently the bowflex is one of the best home gyms you can buy (especially if you work out by yourself and don't have a spotter)... I'm thinking about getting one myself but 1.) They start @ $999 and 2.) They say to wait several weeks for delivery... I'm not that patient

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Damn that has a lot of pulleys. In all honesty, there really isn't a better/worse one. Just make sure you get one where you can do pulldowns, rows, (which I don't see on that machine) a moveable bench, (for incline/decline stuff) leg developer, squat rack, and possibly a dip/pullup station. Something like that would probably run $300-$500. People always forget that the basics are the best - being able to do 200000000000 different versions of a leg extension really isn't that great. The bread and butter compound movements can be easily done with a $50 bench and some free weights.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Bowflex.

Not. Must mean something if they have to run ads every 10 minutes on seemingly every channel on Directv.:disgust::frown:

Direct Focus, the company that owns the Bowflex line, simply has very aggressive marketing. They also own Soloflex, Schwinn, Nautilus, and Nordic Trac.
The Bowflex actually is a very good machine.

 

[Beau]

The Bowflex sux. I just sold my PowerPro XLT because the movement, motion and resistance were anything but sufficient. On top of that, the construction quality is far from the $2000 (fully loaded) price tag it boasts. I wouldn't pay more than $300 for the entire thing. That $999 version posted earlier is just the upper portion of the unit. If you ad the lat-pull down, squat, bench, leg extension and flexion units, you will see it skyrocket to almost $2k.

IMO, free weights are the way to go. you can't get the same workout from something that follows the same path in a repeated motion. This doesn't work out the supporting muscles. Free weights not only work the muscle you are trying to, but also all the other muscles that help support and balance the movement. That is how you would use them in the real world anyway. Get yourself a nice olimpic free weight set.

 

[Beau]

This is the setup that I am looking at getting:

The Bench
With the lat attachment and curling attachment it is $567 including shipping.
Add about $500 in weights to that, and I'll be set. (I'll be buying the weights locally so I don't get bent over on shipping.)

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Hey Beau - why aren't you getting one with a squat rack? (Just curious)

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Hey Beau - why aren't you getting one with a squat rack? (Just curious)

I am actually also considering this one... not sure yet though.