Strength and Fitness: The Best Weight Training Equipment

Whatever your age, fitness level and goals – weight training equipment is key. From full multi-gyms to benches, free weights and resistance training accessories – Fitness Review has you covered. You will find comparisons, detailed reviews and guides to training activities below. Muscle building, maintaining body tone and weight loss are covered in specific articles.

All the popular types of weight training equipment are covered here. Home multi-gyms, benches and racks, accessories and free weights are the main products. You will also find equipment to facilitate body weight routines, portable gyms and commercial gyms reviewed.

Latest Reviews: Weights and Strength Training Equipment

Weight Training Equipment Compared and Reviewed

The Best Weight Training Equipment Reviews, Gyms, Smith Machines, Free Weights and Accessories

Kitting out your home gym is a serious business. The weight training equipment you buy will last many years, making it worthwhile taking the time to make sure you get the best setup first time. Sure, you’ll add to your gym over time – though the core benches and weights do not need to be switched too often.

The reviews of weight training equipment here at Fitness Review are designed to let you compare what is on the market and find the best possible combinations for your budget and individual preferences.

You will see the 3 main categories of equipment in the icons at the top of the page. Clicking those leads to pages where you will see information on how to find your way through the reviews to narrow your search to the best possible options.

Of course, there are many more ways in which this equipment can be split – below is a more detailed division, along with links to the pages which will get you the information you need to make a smart choice.

Types of Weight and Strength Training Equipment

#1 Smith Machines

Having nobody to spot for you is a drawback when considering strength training at home. Smith machines are ideal replacements, allowing you to lift safely from a variety of angles. A solid build, and the weights to go with your machine are key components here. You will find detailed reviews and comparisons of Smith Machines from the leading manufacturers right here at Fitness Review.

#2 Free Weights

Free weights are a must have to unlock a broad range of strength training and muscle building exercises. Dumbbells, bar bells and many extras and accessories vary in quality of construction significantly. Top quality weights will last you a lifetime, and give you flexible options to meet your fitness goals. I have included the popular kettlebells in this category.

#3 Home Multi-Gyms

For those who are a little more ambitious, why not invest in a home gym. This has the huge advantage of providing many workouts in one – so you will not need to be juggling multiple pieces of equipment during your training session. Comparing a home gym to the cost of a yearly gym membership can certainly stop these systems from seeming too expensive. You can also find ‘gym in a box’ solutions, for example the Fitt Cube.

#4 Core and Abs Trainers

While many people aspire to having a 6-pack, there is a lot more to core and abs training that just this aspect. With a strong and stable torso, your breathing and neuromuscular efficiency will be hugely improved. Posture improvements can also prevent injury from other forms of exercise. Of course, looking great will be the icing on the cake. Equipment in this category ranges from simple foot holds to fully featured sit up benches.

#5 Pull Up Bars

With all the complex equipment available, it is easy to overlook the benefits of something as simple as a pull-up bar. This form of exercise has many variations, and the intensity level is easy to switch up as you improve. It is important to get the best equipment in this category – you need something capable of supporting your body weight that will not let you down.

How to Choose the Right Weight Training Equipment?

The single biggest piece of advice for choosing weight training equipment for the home is to be realistic about space. In that first flush of enthusiasm and planning after you decide to take the plunge and build a home gym, it is all too easy to get carried away.

Realistically you are not going to want to store your equipment away between use – especially the bigger multi-gyms and Smith machines.

Your goals might be clear, build muscle and fitness at the same time – or simply tone up. One question which it is worth asking is whether you need to do all of your routine at home? It may be that some routines are better left in the gym, while those which are easier to fit in are saved for the extra sessions at home. This is the reason that so many free weights, pull up bars and the simple bench setups are popular.

Of course, some of you will be looking to build the best home gym possible for your budget. When it comes to quality, you really should focus on the build. There are reasons that big brand names like Marcy and Weider are so popular. They have consistently delivered quality over a number of years. You’ll have the peace of mind that comes with a service / support network too.

For the cheaper kit, this is obviously not so important – as long as the customer feedback at amazon is ok I’m more relaxed about buying a no-name pull up bar or ab trainer.

Finally Take Advice Before You Start

As regular readers will know, the terms of use of this site cover the professional advice you’ll need before starting any form of fitness training. With weight training this message is a lot more important. Accidentally misusing this type of equipment can result in injury which could do more than set you back in your fitness goals. This is not just advice for complex weight training equipment, it applies strongly to things like kettlebells too.