Here’s an interesting story I came across today and thought you should check out. It’s a story about how to get fat.

A story about getting fat? I’m kidding, right?

I’m not kidding, let me explain…

The story in the video is about a guy named Drew Manning that was in phenomenal shape –6′-2″ and 193 pounds of muscle– and decided to completely let himself go until he reached 263.4 pounds and documented the entire process.

The idea for this ‘reverse transformation’ came from some of Drew’s personal training clients that always told him that he didn’t understand how hard it was to be fat (Drew has always been in great shape).

Purpose
“This is my story of how I plan on going from being obsessed with being fit, to fat in 6 months and how I plan on showing everyone how to get back to fit again in 6 more months.”

Goal
“I hope to better gain an understanding of how hard it really is to be overweight. I know it’s only going to be for 6 months, but at least it’ll give me a small window of the physical and emotional issues that come with being overweight.”

At the end of the 6 month bulk up, Drew plans on doing a 180 and getting back to where he started — from fit 2 fat 2 fit — clever, right?

When I first heard of this project I thought it sounded a bit like a gimmick, but as the weeks and months have gone by you can tell this guy has had some painful emotional realizations that he didn’t expect.

You can follow the entire story on his blog here on his blog and watch the ‘retransformation’ back to being fit… that is if he can give up his Captain Crunch and Mountain Dew stash under his bed!

(source)

In an ideal world you’d have an hour a day to go to the gym and workout but sometimes (OK all the time) life gets in the way.

Like most professionals you’re busy with work, client meetings, dinners with friends and family and just can’t seem to find the time to hit the gym daily.

If you find yourself with more ambition than time to workout like you know you should, I found a great workout you should give a serious try.

It’s called the Weekend Warrior Workout and is perfect for busy professionals that need to keep their edge but don’t have the necessary 5-7 hours a week to train.

Weekend Warrior Workout Highlights

The workout consists of only (2) sessions a week with one 15 minute mid-week workout and one workout on the weekend when it will be easier to fit into your schedule.

The equipment needed for the workouts is kept to a minimum for simplicity. Here’s what you’ll need:

• dumbbells
• stability ball
• your own body weight

Many of the exercises are old school moves like burpees, squats, dead lifts and are condensed into supersets to help save time.

Here’s an excerpt from the mid-week workout:

 15-Minute Bodyweight Workout

This workout consists of two, two-exercise supersets.

Superset 1:
Perform a 8-rep warmup set of each exercise. Then perform both exercises back-to-back, with no rest in between. Rest for 1 minute after the superset is complete, and do a second superset.

Split Squat (15 reps per leg):

Stand with one foot 2.5-3 feet in front of the other, each in line with its corresponding buttock. Keep your upper body erect as you descend until the top of your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Pause, then press back up to the starting position.

Decline Pushup (as many reps as possible):

Perform the traditional pushup with your feet on a chair or bench.

Superset 2:
Perform a 5-rep warmup set of each exercise. Then perform both exercises back-to-back, with no rest in between. Rest for 1 minute after the superset is complete, and do a second superset….

I plan on implementing this workout during the Holiday Season so I can enjoy more time with family and friends when I’m done working.

Give it a try and leave a comment to let me know how you like it.

(more)

With Winter fast approaching now’s the time to make sure your home gym is outfitted with the gear you’ll need so you can get a great workout at home.

There are 5 home gym gadgets that you can get for under $100 that will go a long way towards preventing the dreaded Winter weight gain.

Top 5 Home Gym Gadgets for Under $100

Exercise Ball
An exercise ball is a cheap alternative to a weight bench and can be used with dumbbells and by itself for core training the abs – cost, under $30.

Exercise Bands
Exercise or resistance bands are a portable, storable and effective alternative to bulky gyms. You can literally do 100′s of exercises with a full range of motion – cost, under $20-$80 depending on the model and manufacturer (we like the Bodylastics here).

Adjustable Dumbbells
Before there were the higher priced all-in-one adjustable dumbbells there were spin-lock dumbbells. Spin-lock dumbbell handles and some standard weight plates can be had for around 49 cents a pound if purchased separately or get a small starter set for under $50.

Exercise Mat
Exercise mats aren’t just for Yoga. If you’re doing any exercises on the floor like push-sups, crunches or planks this is a must have – cost, under $20.

Pull-up Bar
The pull-up bar is last on the list for a reason. Pull-ups are a great exercise but hard for most people to do unless they’re in good shape – cost, under $30.

Is there anything you would add to the list or are using at home right now that we should know about? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Total Gym XLS

The most popular Total Gym at the moment is the XLS model currently sold online only at the TotalGymDirect.com website along with the 2000, 3000 and GTS gyms.

The XLS is their flagship home model that is typically priced under $1000 dollars (check pricing here) and is almost 1/3 the price of the Total Gym GTS gym that’s used in some health clubs for  the Gravity System Training Program.

OK, enough background, on to my review of the Total Gym XLS.

Total Gym XLS Features and Specs

• 400 lb weight capacity for total strength and stability
• Upgraded comfort system
• Upgraded pulley and cable system
• Flexible nylon strap handles
• Upgraded squat stand
• Padded glideboard with head support
• Chrome package
• Exercise capability – over 80 exercises
• Dimensions Unfolded: 19″ W x 90″ L x 43″
• Dimensions Folded:    19″ W x 51″ L x  9″ H

What I Like About the Total Gym XLS Gym

The reason the XLS is the most popular model in the Total Gym Line-up is pretty evident right away.

For starters, the XLS has an attractive price point as it costs less than $1000. You start to go over $1000 for a gym (like the GTS that’s $2899) and you’ll lose over 95% of your potential customers.

The Total Gym XLS also has every option you’re going to want in a glide board gym including a larger and more usable squat stand for leg exercises, chromed rails and accessories that increase durability and an upgraded pulley and cable system that includes the leg attachment.

They also throw in so many additional goodies like 3 training DVD’s and a Pilates kit that it makes getting the XLS a no-brainer when you compare it to the Total Gym 3000 because it only costs an extra $150 bucks.

What I Don’t Like About the Total Gym XLS

I know the Total Gym XLS is extremely popular, but there are a coupe of things that I wish this gym offered including: more height adjustment points on the tower, a weight bar on the glide board and a longer warranty on parts (all of which are standard on the Total Trainer Power Pro for less money).

None of these omissions are a deal killer in my book, but with some strong new competition in recent years it will be interesting to see what Total Gym does with the XLS to keep it competetive.

Bottom Line on the Total Gym XLS Home Gym

If you’re shopping for a glide board gym, and more specifically — one from Total Gym — I think the Total Gym XLS is the best value of the bunch.

There’s really no point in getting the 2000, or 3000 gyms because you give up too much in terms of functionality and the GTS is, well just too expensive to be a viable option for most people.

*a note on pricing: check both Total Gym Direct and Amazon for pricing as they can vary by $100 or more

get the Total Gym XLS on sale w/ free shipping from Total Gym Direct

get the Total Gym XLS on sale w/ free shipping from Amazon

Bowflex Sport Home Gym

If you’ve been looking at the Bowflex Sport gym, chances are the higher prices of their other gyms didn’t sit too well with you, then you saw one of these gyms at the local sporting goods store and figured you’d save yourself a bunch of money and get the cheapest Bowflex model you could find.

The Bowflex Sport is a good value in home gyms and blows the doors off the Weider Crossbow. It’s also miles ahead of the overrated Stamina Bandflex Gym in terms of functionality and performance.

The Sport is equipped with built in lower cables that allow you to actually do squats and 10 other exercises, and the adjustable incline bench makes hitting your upper chest and doing incline curls much easy and effective.

Key Specs on the Bowflex Sport Home Gym:

• 220 lbs. of resistance (upgradeable to 310 or 410 lbs.)
• Lat tower with angled lat bar
• Lower pulley/squat station to do squats
• Leg extension/leg curl attachment
• Sliding seat rail for aerobic rowing, leg presses and seated leg curls
• Multiple cable/pulley positions – for custom workouts
• 5-year limited warranty & 6-week Fitness Results Guarantee

The Bowflex Sport isn’t quite as solid and sturdy as the upper end Bowflexs’ like the Ultimate and Revolution, but on the plus side you can upgrade the resistance from the standard 210 pounds up to 310, or even 410 pounds – that’s enough for all but hard core power trainers, and that’s not who this gym is meant for.

The Bowflex Sport is a good alternative to higher priced gyms and may fit the bill if you have a rather small budget but don’t want to sacrifice getting a gym with a good track record and strong company behind it.

UPDATE: The Bowflex Sport is now the Bowflex Blaze you can click the link below to purchase or read my review of the Bowflex Blaze here…

get the Bowflex Sport Home Gym on sale w/ free shipping

Bowflex Extreme 2 Gym

Bowflex aimed for the middle of the market with the Extreme 2, making this gym more affordable than the higher end gyms in their line.

The Extreme 2 is a bit different than the other gyms in the Bowflex line in the fact that it doesn’t have a full long bench, instead the seating configuration on the Extreme 2 is more like one found at the health club on a leg extension machine.

With the unique seat arrangement, the Bowflex Extreme 2 is highly adjustable which makes it easy to get into proper alignment for each exercise and will fit short and tall users alike with ease.

I really like the way the 4 position adjustable pulleys allow for more freedom of exercise variation and the fact that there’s no need to switch cables or pullys between exercises.

You can change between using the lat tower, leg developer (for leg extensions and leg curls) and chest press quickly and easily, so it’s easy to move from one exercise to the next without any hassles.

One of the biggest appeals of the Bowflex Extreme 2 has to be the compact size. This gym will fit into any size room in your home with room to spare and is an ideal choice in gyms for users with smaller homes and apartment dwellers.

Key Specs on the Bowflex Extreme Home Gym:

• 210 pounds of Power Rod Resistance standard – upgradeable up to 310 or 410 pounds
• Lat tower featuring 2 adjustable positions with angled lat bar
• 4 position adjustable lower pulleys with longer squat station
• Leg extension attachment – to develop strong, muscular legs
• Adjustable, quick-release seat
• No-Time-Limit Power Rod Warranty
• 7-year limited warranty & 6-week Fitness Results Guarantee

The Extreme 2 is a good gym for the more serious home workout trainer that wants a smaller footprint, the ability to adjust the workout angle and the ability to do full squats.

get the Bowflex Extreme 2 Home Gym on sale w/ free shipping

Body Solid EXM2500 Home Gym

BodySolid recently reintroduced the EXM 2500 Gym (aka EXM2500s) and took the gym in a different direction than the monsterous EXM 3000 and EXM 4000 gyms.

The new EXM 2500 is basically a larger, two sided version of the highly rated EXM 1500 gym that I recommend here.

The main work station on this multi gym has the same capabilities as the 1500 with a high pulley, chest press arm and leg extension and leg curl but no low pulley. They moved that to the rear station which I’ll get to in a minute.

I like the chest press arm on the 2500 better than the 1500 because it’s hinged at the top and not from the floor, it just feels a bit more natural to me for some reason.

Moving on to the rear station…

Where the EXM 2500 differs substantially from the EXM 1500 is with the addition of the rear station that’s composed of a pec dec, mid pulley and low pulley (the low pulley on the 1500 is on the front left side).

I like the fact that the 2500 has two pulley positions for doing various arm, leg and back exercises but I wish companies would stop putting those stupid pec decs on every freakin’ gym! I mean serisously, aren’t we past the point of thinking that a pec dec is great for working your chest muslces? Isn’t that what the chest press arm on the other side of the machine is for?

Anyway, the Body Solid EXM2500 has a lot going for it and it will suit most users well with an affordable price point, good mix of exercise options with the two stations and a solid warranty with a strong company to back it up.

The only thing that will keep the EXM 2500 from outselling the EXM 1500 is the fact that it’s a bit larger and two sided which makes it not as “small space friendly” as it’s little brother.

If having the most compact home gym isn’t an issue for your home, I recommend the Body Solid EXM 2500.

get the Body Solid EXM 2500 on sale w/ free shipping

Top 5 Best Home Gyms for 2011

What’s the best home gym on the market? Is there a manufacturer that makes the best home gyms? The answers to these questions is, there isn’t one, and no.

Let me explain what I’m talking about, because it’s a hard question to answer without a canned response (did I hear someone say Weider?).

You see, finding the best gym for working out at home is much more difficult than finding a decent treadmill or elliptical. Why? Because, believe it or not, home gyms are complicated in their form and function, especially to the uninitiated.

You’ve got multi-gyms, free weights, power rods, leverage arms, exercise bands, dumbbells, body weight resistance, gravity (oh that pesky gravity) and…you get the idea, it’s a lot of complicated sounding stuff to worry about.

To compound the problem of figuring out the type of gym you should get, you also need to buy the right gym to suit your exercise goals.

Confused yet? Don’t worry, I’ve been where you’re at and I have some good news for you…

I’ve already done all the hard work of reviewing the best home gyms on the market for 2011 and I’m going to share what I learned, with you, for free (before you get too excited and think I’m giving all my stuff away, I said I’m going to share my knowledge, not my stuff  ;^)

And now without further ado, here’s my obligatory list of the…

Best Home Gyms for 2011

Bodylastics I’ve always been a staunch supporter of using free weights when I workout and never thought I would consider owning exercise bands. That changed when I got the Bodylastics… see my Bodylastics Resistance Bands Review get Bodylastics on sale w/ free shipping

TRX Home Gym My wife and I have been using our TRX for almost 3 years and counting (long before all the health clubs caught on). If you want a versatile gym for functional strength, that’s compact and easy on the wallet, give the TRX a try… TRX Suspension Trainer Gym Review Video get the TRX Gym on sale w/ free shipping

If you’ve been trying to find the right home gym and have been scratching your head trying to tell the difference between single stack gyms, leverage equipment, multi- user gyms and glide boards – don’t worry – I’m going to make your life a lot easier in just a few minutes.

Learn about gyms with my Home Gym Buyer's Guide

The Exercise Equipment Expert’s guide to finding the best home gym was put together by a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer to help answer all your questions about home gyms banging around inside your head, and even some that you haven’t thought of yet.

We’ll start off covering the basics of home gym design, and then jump into some more advanced topics. Then when you’re up to speed, I’ll give you some shopping scenarios based on certain types of potential home gym buyers, and show you which gyms are the right fit for anyone from beginners to body builders.

Are you ready to get your home gym degree in 15 minutes flat? Good! Let’s get started by covering the basics first…

To help you understand what type of gym is right for your needs, you have to establish some basic parameters about what you’re goals and needs are, or you’ll start to get overwhelmed looking through piles of specifications and features – not knowing what they mean or if they’re relevant to you.

This first step is the most important. If you take only one lesson from my guide, let this be the one you remember. If you just skim over it quickly without putting some thought into it you’ll pay for it in the long run by wasting your money on the wrong equipment and end up discouraged.

*** Take out a piece of paper and clearly define the following items to Establish Your Needs and Goals

• Goals: Are you trying to lose weight? Gain muscle? Tone Up? Enter a body building show? Look good at the beach or pool?
• Number of Users: How many people will be using the machine? Do you want to workout with another family member or friend at the same time? How many people will use the gym on a daily basis?
• Space Requirements: How much space do you have for a home gym? Can you make more space? Are you planning on the future if the gym grows in size or scope or you add an attachment like a leg press?
• Special Needs: Do you have a physical limitation or injury? Are you training for a sport? Do you live in a home where noise is a concern?
• Budget: What is your budget? Is your budget realistic and in line with your goals? How soon will the gym pay for itself as opposed to health club membership?

Types of Home Gyms

The blessing, and the curse of the home gym shopper is the overwhelming variety of home gym models on the market. If there were only two kinds of gyms your choice would be easy.

Unfortunately that’s not the case, there’s a constant supply of new equipment on the market every year that claims to be bigger, better and badder. So what’s the average person to do?

The first step is to get yourself educated about what you’re investing in so you can focus on a gym that will deliver the results you want. And if haven’t done so already, go back and establish your needs and goals (above) before moving on.

Here are the basic types of home gyms you have to choose from, along with a picture and short description of each so you can put a name with a face (so to speak):

Single Stack Home Multi-gym

A single stack home gym like the Bodycraft Xpress Pro is a compact single station home gym. The “stack” part of the name comes from the built-in 200 lb. Weight stack that’s adjustable in 10 lb. Increments.

Who It’s Good For: One or two person household, beginners to advanced. Also found in many corporate gyms and hotels because of it’s versatility and small size.

Category: General strength training, sports training (depending on model).

Glide Board Gym

The glide board gym was made famous by Total Gym on their late night infomercials. The gym pictured here is the Total Trainer Power Pro with attachments.

Resistance is supplied from gravity and 5-70% of the users own body weight as the glide board is raised or lowered on the rear tower. Some models can use standard weight plates on a built-in weight bar for additional resistance of about 100 pounds.

Who It’s Good For: Single user only, beginners to advanced. Also found in some clinical settings because of its’ rehabilitation applications.

Category: General conditioning, light to moderate strength training, stretching.

Leverage Gym

Leverage gyms like this Body Solid Leverage System are a newer form of strength and power training machine. All leverage machines are plate loaded and use Olympic style plates (2″ hole diameter).

Leverage gyms have high weight ratings for power training and body building applications or any form of home muscle building application.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users for power training, body building or serious muscle building. Safe for single user home use because of the self spotting design.

Category: Muscle building, power training, body building. Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands like the Bodylastics shown here are a compact portable home gym with adjustable resistance supplied by surgical grade tubing. Useful for full range of motion exercises by themselves or adjunct training along with a traditional home gym.

Who It’s Good For: Single user only. Good for home use, travelers, road warriors and trainers with extremely limited space and budget. Additional uses include post injury training and rehabilitation due to the smooth resistance.

Category: Light strength training, sports training, stretching. Smith Machine

Smith Machine

Traditionally used for hardcore muscle building, the Smith Machine has found its’ way into thousands of homes for general strength training and muscle building. It can be outfitted with attachments like a lat tower, cable crossover and low pulleys for almost unlimited applications including core and sports training.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users from beginner to advanced for muscle building, body building, sports training and power development.

Category: Strength training, body building, power training.

Multi-Station Gym

When most people think of a home gym this is what they think of. Multiple, dedicated workout stations for circuit training, muscle building and general conditioning.

Multi-gyms offer almost unlimited exercise variety with club style features and great ergonomics for single or multiple users at the same time.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users from beginner to advanced for muscle building, body building, sports training and core training.

Category: Strength training, muscle building, general fitness, sports training. Individual Workout Station

Individual Workout Station

When you’re ready to step up to a full home gym experience, home gym stations are the way to go. Each separate station (like the lat machine pictured above) has a dedicated purpose and function for working one muscle group only.

Combine multiple stations like a leg press, bench press, lat machine, weight bench, seated row and a dumbbell set for a home gym that rivals any health club.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users from beginner to advanced. People looking for the health club experience at home.

Category: Strength training, muscle building, general fitness, sports training, power lifting, stretching (all categories).

Functional Trainer (Cable Cross Over)

With the advent of core and functional training, the compact cable crossover machine like the Bodycraft Functional Trainer pictured here have become much more prevalent in home gyms across the country.

Cable crossover machines come outfitted with a plate loaded or selectorized stack weight carriage and multi-position pulley points for tons of exercise variety with accessories like a stability ball or exercise ball.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users from beginner to advanced. Ideal for high and low pulley workouts, core training and functional training with an exercise or stability ball.

Category: Strength training, muscle building, general fitness, sports training, power lifting, stretching (all categories).

Squat Rack / Power Rack

As muscle building and home strength training have become more accepted in recent years, squat racks and power cages have emerged from the muscle head dungeons of years gone by, and into traditional family home gyms.

Built around a solid steel frame with adjustable racking points and safety catches, a squat rack like the Body Solid pictured above are a safe and effective home gym for strength trainers, body builders and power athletes alike.

You can turn a squat rack or power cage into a complete home gym by outfitting yours with a lat attachment, cable crossover, low pulley, arm slings and an adjustable weight bench.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users with some free weight training experience will get the most benefit.

Category: Strength training, muscle building, general fitness, sports training, power lifting, stretching (all categories).

Body Weight Training (against gravity)

Body weight training on a the TRX Professional pictured above has gained a whole new loyal following of fitness enthusiasts that are bored with cheap home gyms and prefer a functional training system they can use at home, on the road and even pack along for vacations.

One of the best overall tools for golf strength and conditioning I’ve ever come across when used in conjunction with the Titleist DVD.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users. Good for home use, travelers, road warriors and trainers with extremely limited space and budget. Great for functional training and core strength development.

Category: Golf strength training, light muscle building, general fitness, sports training, stretching (all categories).

Adjustable Weight Bench

You wouldn’t think of an adjustable weight bench as a home gym, but I would disagree. A good weight bench is a great way to start your home gym if you’re on a budget or short on space.

Use an adjustable bench with flat/incline/decline capabilities and a pair of dumbbells to perform base strength training exercises like bench presses, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep extensions and preacher curls or leg extensions with optional attachments.

When you’re ready to expand your home gym, you can still use your bench with a squat rack, smith machine or as an additional training option to a single station of multi-user gym.

Who It’s Good For: Single or multiple users. Great for beginners for home strength training. Versatile for advanced trainers with more equipment.

Category: Strength training, muscle building, general fitness, sports training, power lifting, stretching (all categories).
To find out which type of gym is the right fit for you, keep reading and learn about the pros and cons of resistance types, ergonomics, number of exercises and of course the price.

Resistance Type and Operation

All home gyms operate with a specific form of resistance against your muscles. The (3) primary types of resistance are:

• Weight Plates: including adjustable weight stacks, standard weight plates, Olympic weight plates
• Resistance Bands
• Body Weight Resistance

The type, and amount, of resistance you need will vary according to your goals and budget. Here’s a breakdown of each type of resistance and where you’ll find them on different home gym types.

Weight Plate Gyms

Plate Loaded Gyms such as single or multi-station machines, smith machines and squat racks are often thought of for only serious power lifting and body building. The truth of the matter is, plate loaded machines are good for both men and women of all abilities whose primary goal is to add strength and muscle.

The advantage of plate loaded machines is you can add or subtract weight easily, and the resistance amount isn’t fixed at 200 pounds.

Plate loaded gyms have a lower price than a similar fixed stack gym because you don’t have to pay for the weight stack itself (you supply your own plates), or the additional shipping costs because of a higher shipping weight.

Fixed Stack Gyms (a.k.a. selectorized home gyms) are a good option for users who prefer a smaller gym that’s similar in function to the health club machines. Most fixed stack machines come with a built-in metal weight stack between 150 and 200 pounds and are adjustable in 10 pound increments.

Although fixed stack gyms are more expensive than plate loaded gyms initially (you’re paying for the weight stack and shipping costs) they’re easier to adjust and you don’t have to buy additional weights or a weight tree to store your weights (plate storage takes up floor space).
Leverage Plate Loaded Gyms like the Body Solid Leverage Gym are a newer option and are similar to traditional plate loaded machines, but are much safer. The big appeal of these machines is for heavy weight training where a spotter is not needed because of the fixed plane of movement.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands (tubing) like the Bodylastics gym are a good option for people with limited space, people who travel, or an add on to a traditional home gym. They have the advantage of a free range of motion, compact size and rehabilitation applications.
The amount of resistance is adjustable from just a few pounds to over a hundred pounds depending on how many bands you use for each exercise. And unlike free weights and some machines, resistance bands don’t allow you cheat at the top of an exercise because gravity is no longer working against you.

Body Weight Resistance

Body weight resistance gyms are the least common variety of strength training machine. Gyms like the Total Trainer and TRX System are good for general strength and conditioning, but not a good option for building tons of muscle.

With body weight resistance you get the benefit of more control and a good stretch with each movement. The amount of resistance for each exercise is determined by adjusting the angle of resistance (larger angle on a glide board = more resistance).

The actual amount of resistance on a glide board gym is typically 4-70% of your body weight, plus on some gyms you can add standard weight plates for another 100 pounds of resistance bringing the total weight used for each exercise enough for all but the strongest users.

Home Gym Ergonomics

The ergonomics of a home gym are often overlooked, as most people focus in on cost, number of exercises and size without giving a second thought to whether they’ll be comfortable using their gym on a daily basis.

Cheaper home gyms are typically lacking in adjustment points and padding, that’s how they keep some of the costs down. It cost more to make a gym with a height and depth adjustable seat, multi height leg extension and thick padding with heavy duty vinyl.

Even if you find a cheaper non-adjustable gym that fits you perfect, if you have another user who plans to use it like a spouse, young adult, parent or a friend, the chances of them being able to use the gym are slim to none.

You may not think it’s a big deal if you’re just a little bit out of alignment or uncomfortable when exercising, but you’ll sing a different tune if you wind up hurting yourself. All it takes is one repetition on a poorly designed machine to wash away all your hard work because you’re out of commission for 6 months with a torn rotator cuff.

If you’re thinking about buying a single station gym (a gym with one workout position) that claims you can do 100 exercises on it, you’ll be sorely disappointed in the performance and execution of about 75% of the exercises on it.

There’s an old saying, “You can’t be all things to all people.” That statement couldn’t be more true with regards to home gym ergonomics and design.

If a gym tries to be all things to all people, there will be sacrifices made on the execution for some (or all) exercises. That’s just the way it is.
Make sure the gym you’re thinking about getting lets you perform the base lifts (chest press, lat pull, bicep curls, leg extensions or squats, leg curls and tricep extensions) with no compromise in form.

If it can’t cut the mustard on the base lifts, cross the gym off your list and move on to something better.

Number of Exercises

Generally speaking, the more you spend on a home gym, the more quality exercise options you’ll have – and machines are more limited in delivering exercise options than free weights are by nature of their design.

For example a smith machine with a gun rack and full weight stack has almost unlimited exercise variety, where a smaller fixed stack machine like the Bodycraft Xpress Pro or Bodysolid exm3000s will have about 20 exercises that can be performed effectively because they’re made well with multiple adjustment points.

No matter what some gyms claim as the number of exercises you can perform on them, nothing replaces free weights and dumbbells for the ultimate in variety and function.

We’d like to stress this point again, look for a gym where you can comfortably perform the base lifts (chest press, lat pull, bicep curls, leg extensions or squats, leg curls and tricep extensions) with no compromise in form.

Price

The number one mistake people make when shopping for a home gym is to shop purely by price, and neglect the items we covered in the “Establishing You Goals and Needs” section at the beginning of this guide (you did answer those questions already, right?)

Getting the right home gym for your needs isn’t rocket science, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but you do need to take a number of factors into account before you even look at a price tag.

For example, if your budget is under $100 bucks and you buy the Bodylastics Resistance Bands (which is a great gym by the way), and your goal is to be a body builder you’re wasting your money.

You’re also being totally unrealistic about what you’re expecting from your equipment for the price. If $100 bucks is all you have for a home gym and you want to get a body building gym with Olympic free weights, a bench and a power rack or smith machine you’re kidding yourself.
Instead of wasting your money on equipment that isn’t in line with your needs, you’re better off saving it until you can afford the proper equipment to reach your goal.

I know I’ve drawn a rather extreme example above, but I did it to make a point. DO NOT shop for a home gym based strictly on price alone or chances are you’ll make a costly mistake.

It’s always less expensive to do things right the first time and not have any regrets later because you tried to save a few bucks without doing your homework first.

Bodylastics Exercise Resistance Bands

You may have seen the Bodylastics exercise bands advertised on TV and thought to yourself, “Boy does that thing look like a scam!”

You’d be right to think that at first glance, but I hate to break it to you – you’re dead wrong, and here’s why…

The Bodylastics resistance bands are a giant leap forward in resistance training compared to that old exercise tubing.

What is Bodylastics anyway?

For starters, what Bodylastics has done with their resistance bands is to package them with a ‘smart’ color coding system (each colored resistance band has a unique tension level), add swivel clips to the end of each exercise band to facilitate quick changes in resistance, and they’ve also included a number of attachments and extras that make the Bodylastics a complete home gym system that will almost fit in your wallet…

I had a chance to put the Bodylastics bands through their paces at a friends house recently, and I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first to say the least.

I’ve always been a big supporter, and proponent, of using free weights and machines when I train, not to mention, I’ve tried the old style resistance bands and thought they were garbage.

My Bodylastics workout experience…

Let me tell you this, when I tried the Bodylastics gym, I was immediately impressed by the smooth resistance and hefty design of the tubing.

As I continued through my workout it became clear that Bodylastics put a lot of thought into the design and functionality of the gym and the attachments (handles, ankle straps and door anchor) all of which make the gym a breeze to use, even for a beginner with no experience.

I highly recommend the Bodylastics system, it’s the best value in strength training under $100 (way under $100) and provides a solid workout that will challenge beginners and experts alike, without the need to invest in bulky, expensive home gyms and dumbbells.

The Bodylastics resistance exercise bands come in two flavors, the Bodylastics Basic, and the Bodylastics Max Tension (you can also order additional resistance bands directly from their website for a few bucks each if you need them)…

Bodylastics Gym Size, What You Get…

The Bodylastics gym is super compact, but can be hard to imagine from a generic picture.

To help emphasize how small and portable the Bodylastics system is, I’ve taken a couple pictures of my Bodylastics gym, spread out on my Smith machine to show you the contrast in size…

Bodylastics Bands Unboxing

You can see the entire gym fits in a small shipping box (see picture above). When it arrived, I had to physically look in the box before I believed the entire gym was in there, it’s very compact and easy to store in the included Velcro bag…

Here’s a shot of the gym spread out over my bench so you can get another first hand look at its’ size, the DVD is in the foreground, the colored resistance bands are in the plastic bag and the attachments are behind that…

Bodylastics What You Get

The gym I ordered came with (2) handles and (2) ankle straps that connect to the any, or all, of the (5) colored bands with a quick change clip pictured below…

Bodylastics Handle & Clip

I got the Bodylastics Max Tension (and later bought the TO Super Strongman Edition) with the DVD as I felt it was a better value than the Basic Gym and more versatile with the extra resistance bands that are included.

You can get the Bodylastics Resistance Bands directly from the Bodylastics website and should expect you order to arrive in 2-3 days tops, their shipping is very speedy!

get the Bodylastics Gym on sale directly from the manufacturer here