MJ GEAR GUIDE: Home Gyms - Gete a gym-quality workout in your own home

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Home Gyms
The latest high-tech fitness machines give you the ultimate gym-quality workout in your own home

Tired of waiting in line to do your incline presses -- and then having to wipe off the previous user's sweat from the bench? And if you hear "Welcome to the Jungle" one more time is your head going to explode? It's time to invest in a home gym. Today's models offer more than just convenience -- and freedom from Axl Rose's whine. They offer top-of-the-line machinery at affordable prices. The best ones feature ergonomic designs that let you work out more comfortably; iso-lateral motion, which forces your weak side to work just as hard as your strong side; and adjustable pulley arms for full-body functional strength exercises. We tested various models at every price point and picked the four that delivered the best value. (All are available at Gym Source; go to gymsource.com to find a local store.) We also put together a do-it-yourself alternative for more modest budgets. --Steve Steinberg

EDITORS' PICK
Hoist | V5 Multi Gym
Simply put: the best single-stack home gym available. The unit's seated leg curl is smooth and comfortable and will let you -- finally -- get a serious hamstring workout with a home unit. The V5 also scores points with its press arms. On most machines, both home and commercial, you push or pull the handles along a fixed track and as a result you never work the smaller stabilizer muscles in the shoulder. But the smart design of the V5's arms gives it a free-floating feel -- much like with a dumbbell workout -- forcing you to use and strengthen those important stabilizers. [$2,600, $3,300 with leg press station; hoistfitness.com]
Upper Body
Core
Lower Body
Overall

Paramount | FT-150
No home gym can rival the versatility of the FT-150, a true functional-style trainer. Unlike most machines that lock you into a position to let you isolate the muscles you're working, the FT-150 forces you to stabilize yourself when working out. The unit's two pulley arms adjust both up and down and in and out to give you an incredible range of positions, so no two workouts ever have to be the same. The two stacks also mean that two people can use the trainer at the same time. [$3,250; paramountfitness.com]
Upper Body
Core
Lower Body
Overall

ProSpot | P-600
The ProSpot's strength is that you can get a freeweight-style workout that will challenge your coordination and work your stabilizers without needing a partner to spot you, thanks to its clever barbell suspension system. To round out your workout, the P-600 also sports two vertically adjustable pulleys for everything from curls and raises to pulldowns and rows. One caveat: You have to add and remove all the plates -- which is a workout all by itself. [from $3,895 to $5,325 fully loaded; prospotfitness.com]
Upper Body
Core
Lower Body
Overall

True | 500HG
A solid machine at a great price. A big plus is the pair of iso-lateral arms, which force your left and right sides to work independently when doing presses and rows. It's a great way to develop muscular balance between your stronger and weaker sides, and it's a feature not usually found on home gyms at this price. While it will beat up your entire body, the 500HG does have some shortcomings. To blast your legs, you'll need to shell out $600 for the optional leg press station. [$1,800, $2,400 with leg press station; www.truefitness.com]
Upper Body
Core
Lower Body
Overall

Photographs by: Monte Isom
(November 2005)