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Best Compact Home Gyms for Small Spaces and Apartment

    A compact home gym is an excellent solution for those who want to workout at home but have only a small space. In recent years, manufacturers have designed exercise equipment with a little footprint but provide a wide range of exercises. With their help, you can strengthen and tone almost all parts of your body without spending money on gym membership fees or waste your time traveling.The best compact home gyms come with unique systems that allow you to adjust them to your fitness level and functions, making storage even more comfortable. For example, you can fold them.

    Home Gyms for Small Space Comparison

    Model
    1. Bowflex PR1000
    2. Bowflex Blaze
    3. Weider Ultimate Body Works
    4. Powerline BSG10X
    Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym
    Bowflex Blaze Home Gym
    Weider Ultimate Body Works Black/Red, Standard
    Powerline by Body-Solid BSG10X Home Gym with 160-Pound Weight Stack for Upper and Lower Body Workouts
    Rating
    Max weight
    210 lbs
    210 lbs (can be upgreded to 310 or 410 lbs)
    Your bodyweight plus 50 lbs
    160 lbs
    Type of resistance
    Power rod
    Power rod
    Body weight + power bands
    Weight stack
    Number of exercises
    30+
    60+
    50+
    40
    Suitable for cardio?
    Workout area needed
    L 103" x W 80" x H 82"
    L 90" x W 38" x H 83"
    71L x 25W
    42 by 80 by 70 inches (W x H x D)
    More details & price
    Model
    1. Bowflex PR1000
    Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym
    Rating
    Max weight
    210 lbs
    Type of resistance
    Power rod
    Number of exercises
    30+
    Suitable for cardio?
    Workout area needed
    L 103" x W 80" x H 82"
    More details & price
    Model
    2. Bowflex Blaze
    Bowflex Blaze Home Gym
    Rating
    Max weight
    210 lbs (can be upgreded to 310 or 410 lbs)
    Type of resistance
    Power rod
    Number of exercises
    60+
    Suitable for cardio?
    Workout area needed
    L 90" x W 38" x H 83"
    More details & price
    Model
    3. Weider Ultimate Body Works
    Weider Ultimate Body Works Black/Red, Standard
    Rating
    Max weight
    Your bodyweight plus 50 lbs
    Type of resistance
    Body weight + power bands
    Number of exercises
    50+
    Suitable for cardio?
    Workout area needed
    71L x 25W
    More details & price
    Model
    4. Powerline BSG10X
    Powerline by Body-Solid BSG10X Home Gym with 160-Pound Weight Stack for Upper and Lower Body Workouts
    Rating
    Max weight
    160 lbs
    Type of resistance
    Weight stack
    Number of exercises
    40
    Suitable for cardio?
    Workout area needed
    42 by 80 by 70 inches (W x H x D)
    More details & price

    Reviews of the Best Small Home Gyms

    bowflex pr1000

    1. Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym – Basic But Affordable

    • 25 plus exercises. 
    • 200 lbs of power rod resistance

    This home multi gym comes with a unique resistance technology called power rod resistance. Instead of using weight stacks or plates, robust rods continuously generate the load, leading to better muscle development. It provides 210 lbs maximum resistance, which is enough for an average trainer. Unfortunately, it cannot be upgraded (no additional resistance can be added)With this excellent fitness equipment, you can do over 30 exercises for a total body workout routine. The good news is that it comes with a low row function to have cardio workouts as if you have a rowing machine at home. If you are on a budget, it is worth checking. Also, it’s the smallest home gym from Bowflex.Read the full Bowflex PR1000 review.

    bowflex blaze

    2. Bowflex Blaze – The best home gym for the money

    • 60 plus exercises
    • 210 resistance, upgradable to 310 or 410

    The Bowflex blaze home gym comes with the same power rod resistance as the previous one. It provides 210 lbs resistance, but it can be upgraded to 310 or 410 lb, making it suitable for pro users.Another difference is the number of exercises. You can perform over 60 types of activities with it, among them is the cardio row. Of course, because of these features, the price is a bit higher. Blaze also has a compact size.Bowflex Blaze Home Gym Full Review

    20 Best Small Workout Equipment for Home

    weider ultimate body works

    3. Weider Ultimate Body Works – For Bodyweight Workout

    • Capacity: 250 pounds
    • Over 50 exercises

    Compared to the other gym equipment here, it looks different, but it is a powerful total workout machine that uses the user’s body weight to generate resistance. You can increase or decrease the load by setting the glide board to a steeper incline.Also, this compact machine provides 50 types of practices to target every muscle group. Hence, with it, you can have a whole body workout.Finally, Weider Ultimate Bodyworks is a folding home gym. You can quickly fold it and place it under your bed after your training. The easy store why customers like it so much.Read the full Ultimate Body Works review here.

    Body Solid Powerline BSG10X

    4. Body-Solid Powerline BSG10X – Gym Quality Machine

    • 160-pound weight stack
    • Over 40 exercises

    Body-Solid gyms are famous for their high-quality design and well-working functions. They provide a 10-year warranty for this compact gym machine.Powerline BSG10X complete home gym comes with 160 lbs weight stack resistance. It has a low, middle, and high pulley system, leg developer station, and press arms that can be adjusted in 8 levels. This way, this compact home gym machine allows one to perform 20 types of lower and upper body exercises. The functions have been designed in such a way that they provide biomechanically correct motions. On top of that, the cable system can stand 2200 lbs, and the base is very stable.You do not need to worry about the assembly since it comes 90% assembled and all the accessories you need. It is a commercial-grade multi gym for home with an excellent pulley system.

    Best Compact Weight Sets

    More Compact Home Gym Equipment Ideas

    If you think these home gyms are still too large for your home, then here is more equipment you may want to consider.

    Adjustable Dumbbells

    Adjustable dumbbells such as Bowflex Selectech come with a unique locking system that lets you quickly change the amount of weight you would like to use (by 2.5 pounds increment). So, one piece of dumbbell substitute multiplies individual pieces of free weights. Hence, you can save a lot of space and money. You can quickly store them somewhere in your house.Also, dumbbells are the most versatile piece of compact gym equipment that lets you perform hundreds of muscle building exercises. They are the best items for small spaces to strengthen the whole body.

    Weight bench

    For a compact gym setup, an adjustable bench press is the best buy as we can modify the backrest. This way, we can do incline, decline, and flat dumbbell chest press and other exercises. Many compact models are also foldable. The most compact option is the flat bench.

    Buying & Setup Guide for Space Saving Home Gym

    Before buying one, let me give you some tips on what to pay attention to when purchasing.

    The number and types of exercises options it provides

    As you see, the best compact machine provides over 50 available exercises providing a full body workout. The more activities you can do with a machine, the better. However, the price of these products is higher.

    I recommend buying a product equipped with a leg extension that lets you strengthen the lower body.

    On the other hand, it depends on your fitness goals. If you do not need so many options to exercise, go with a cheaper product.

    The weight resistance

    Always check the amount of resistance the gym provides. It is a waste of money if you buy a strength training equipment that does not give enough load and will not support your development in the long run.

    Also, get a compact weight machine that lets you tweak the resistance at various levels. This way, you can do exercises with a lighter weight with higher repetitions useful for toning. In contrast, more massive resistance with fewer reps is better for muscle building.

    If you already have a weight plate set at home, you may consider buying a plate loaded machine to save money.

    Weight Capacity

    There are two things to check out. Firstly, the user weight capacity and the other is the maximum resistance the small weight machines provide. If you are a big bulky guy, look for a more robust total gym.

    How much space you have?

    Although we are talking about small home gym machines, it is essential to check out the dimensions to know if you have enough space to use. Keep in mind that you need space around as well to use it comfortably. And if you have a tiny room with limited space, consider buying a folding gym so you can quickly put it somewhere when you do not need it.

    FAQ

    Are they useful for building muscle?

    That depends on your fitness goal. If you want to build big muscles, you should opt for free weights and use the exercise machine for secondary resistance training. Machines have limited resistance and drive the movements. To put on muscle mass, you need other weight lifting equipment such as a squat rack and an Olympic barbell with weights.

    On the other hand, if you do not want to be a bodybuilder, want to pack on muscles and get stronger, they will do.What is a good mini home gym?

    Firstly, it is safe to use. I mean, it does not wobble, made from quality materials to avoid breakage. Try to pick an item which comes with an extended warranty, and there are no complaints about the parts.

    Also, it is versatile for giving various options to exercise your entire body. Unfortunately, most gyms only let us strengthen the upper body, and only a few functions are available for the lower body. The more workout stations it has, the better.

    What is a good compact cardio machine?

    Small rowing machines – If your primary purpose is burning calories instead of strength development, then a compact rover is maybe a better option for you. There are apartment sized cardio equipment with folding design and need a small space to use and store. You can read the best compact rowing machines reviews here.

    Exercise bikes – An upright stationary bike also has a pretty small footprint. Depending on the model, it let us choose from a wide range of programs for different purposes. They are also useful to increase your heart rate while watching TV in your living room.

    I hope you found this quick guide useful, and you bumped into something that you like.

    Did you find the right compact home gym for you? Share this post with your friends.

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    Last update on 2023-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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    James Wright

    James (36) has been working out since he was 15 years old. He has a home gym where he pumps iron, does bodyweight workouts and boxing. He likes sharing his experiences with others who want to build a better physique.

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