Different Types of Home Gym Machines

A home gym is a piece of equipment or a set of various equipment that allow you to perform a range of physical exercises in the comfort of your home.

Everyone has different needs and wants when it comes to working out. This article focuses on different types of machines that can help you do many physical exercises within the same space.

Experts indicate that home gyms are best categorized by the type of resistance their operation offers to facilitate physical exercises.

Body Weight Machines

This equipment only uses your body weight to offer the resistance needed for exercise. The machines are popular because they are usually affordable and do not take up much space in your home setup.

Fitness experts recommend body weight machines for people looking to tone their muscles and stay flexible. These machines are also ideal for people learning the ropes of performing strength training.

However, if you want to do some serious weight lifting and strength building, body weight machines may not be your choice, as you may need more resistance for your fitness and weight training goals.

Regardless, these machines make excellent home gyms because of their versatility. They are ideal for people looking to maximize the variety of their physical exercise activities.

When comparing different body weight machines, consider

• the number of accessories included, 
• the weight capacity supported, 
• the number of resistance levels offered, 
• and the total assembled weight. 

You may also want to consider your range of motion to ensure enough space around the equipment so that obstacles do not unnaturally restrict your movements.

Free Weight Machines

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You have most likely seen these machines in your local gyms. They use weighted plates and often include a barbell, a squat rack, and a power rack.

Free weight machines are great if you are a powerlifting fan or enjoy the feel of good old-fashioned weight lifting.

Fitness gurus explain that weight machines have some benefits compared to lifting weights without machines. Weight machines help you to generally lift more weight than you can with weights such as dumbbells. 

Weight machines also help with targeted training since they feature a fixed range of motions, limiting the use of muscle groups you are not targeting with particular exercises.

Experts also explain that weight machines have less risk of injury than when using free weights. This stems from not freely moving around, granting the opportunity to rest aching body parts.

Weight machines are also ideal for people recovering from injury since they isolate the muscles being worked on and eliminate the issue of not having the correct form, unlike when using weights freely.

Remember that it is essential to read the instructions when encountering a new machine to ensure that you use it safely.

One thing you should consider with free-weight machines is that they can take up a lot of space in your home. Also, you will have to buy weighted plates and other accessories separately, and the cost of these additions can skyrocket over time.

Many folks opt to place these free weight machines in the garage or the basement, as they don’t want to drop the plates and barbells in the attic mistakenly. That probably would not go over well with other occupants of the home.

When choosing which free-weight machines to incorporate into the home, it is a good idea to check what gauge of steel is used in their construction; the warranty offered, and the rackable weight capacity.

Cable Machines and Functional Trainers

Cable machines use a series of cables and stacks of varying weights to provide resistance for weight training. A significant perk of this machine is that you would not need a spotter when going through the motions.

On cable machines, all the weights are neatly attached to the main unit, so dropping weights and crushing yourself is no longer a problem when you lose control of the harnesses.

On the other hand, functional trainers are a variant of cable machines that use two adjustable pulleys and two stacks of weights. As a result, they are highly versatile and can allow you to perform any strength training you need.

When considering cable machines, check out the pulley ratio, the resistance offered in the stacks, and the number of accessories included in the package.

Power Rod Machines

This home gym system was invented by Bowflex, which is owned by Nautilus Inc. Thus; they are the only home gyms allowed to use and sell the power rod technology.

Power rod machines are low-impact alternatives to using weighted stacks. In place of weights, they have rods that can provide the same maximum resistance to weights with tension.

The resistance offered by these rods is quite different from the free weights and cable machines. The resistance increases as the rod are bent during exercise, much like a resistance cable. This mechanism, however, provides a more fluid resistance that can be more comfortable than other home gyms.

Power rod machines take up less space to store and use, and many affordable options exist. These home gyms can also provide a lot of variety in your workout regimen.

Suspension Trainers

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These trainers use a strong strap attached to a wall or ceiling and use body weight to create the mechanism of a fully-fledged gym. Suspension trainers are popular because they are portable, affordable, and light. As a result, you can take them nearly anywhere.

However, do not let the simplicity fool you. These trainers can give some of the most challenging workouts out there. Suspension trainers are particularly effective with core strengthening.

Conclusion

When shopping around for the ideal home gym, remember that your fitness and weight training goals dictate much of what you get. Other important factors include the budget, the available space, and the planned frequency of use.

Try to reach out to fitness experts to lay out your fitness goals and identify the type of home gym that fits your needs and budget.