9 Best Home Multi Gym Solutions In 2018
You don’t need an expensive gym membership. Why pay to wait in queues and deal with terrible parking? These machines might be quite expensive, but if you tally up a few years of a gym membership, they will suddenly look much more affordable.
In this review, we will provide you with a great place to start looking for the perfect home multi-gym solution with 9 stellar examples. You are sure to find what you’re looking for in one of these great products. Let’s take a look!
| PRODUCT | DESCRIPTION | RATING | PRICE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Marcy Eclipse Deluxe Smith Machine GymOne of the most versatile multi-gyms | £££ | Check Price | |
  | TRX Suspension Training KitVery inexpensive solution | £ | Check Price | |
  | Body Sculpture BMG-4410 Multi GymIncludes boxing and speed bag | ££ | Check Price | |
  | Marcy GS99 Dual Stack Home GymTwo stations with independent mechanisms | ££ | Check Price | |
  | FINNLO BIO-FORCE Multi GymDoesn’t make use of any weights | ££ | Check Price | |
  | BH Fitness G152X Global Multi Gym with Leg PressHigh-quality multi-gym machine | ££ | Check Price | |
  | Life Fitness G7 Cable Motion Gym With BenchFits neatly in a corner | ££££ | Check Price | |
<  | Marcy Eclipse HG3000 Compact Home Gym with Weight StackGood value for money | ££ | Check Price | |
  | Bowflex Xtreme 2SE Home GymDoesn’t use any weights | ££ | Check Price |
The 9 Best Home Multi-Gym Solutions
Marcy Eclipse Deluxe Smith Machine Gym
The Marcy Eclipse Deluxe Smith Machine Gym is a mid to high-end home multi-gym solution. It costs a bit more than our mid-range choices, but it’s nowhere near as pricey as the Life Fitness G7. The combination of a multitude of cable machines as well as a smith machine makes it a very versatile solution that allows you to take part in just about any type of exercise.
Although the Smith Machine is not ideal for squats or bench presses, it’s still a very convenient (and safer) weightlifting alternative to a loose barbell with a rack. However, it does come with an adjustable outer rack for your own loose barbells. The three independent cable pulley systems enable you to do almost any cable exercise, and you can use the outer two together or separately. The middle cable is best kept for heavier, two-arm exercises.
This home gym comes with a loose bench that includes an attachment for leg extensions, leg curls and sitting calf raises. It’s rounded off with a pull-up/chin-up bar and weight racks. It really is a complete home gym solution. All the attachments and handles you need to use are also included.
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TRX Suspension Training Kit
We wanted to include something a little different for those who prefer a different type of workout (and for those who don’t have the massive budget for a multi-gym). If that sounds like you, we’re happy to introduce the TRX Suspension Training Kit. TRX has exploded onto the fitness scene in recent years as people have latched on to the benefits of this kind of training. It’s particularly effective for athletes and those who need a dynamic range of motion.
Working almost exclusively with your bodyweight and cables, this gym works small stabilizing muscles you wouldn’t even know existed if you were training with conventional weights. You would also be surprised at the range of exercises available. This kit includes the TRX Suspension Training Strap, TRX Suspension Anchor and TRX Door Anchor. It’s easy to transport around and comes with a handy bag. It also comes with a few of their workout guides to get you started.
The great thing about the TRX is that its anchor doesn’t require you to fix it to anything that requires bolting or hammering. You can just anchor it to a closed door, loop it around a pole, etc. This and the adjustable straps allow you to work out almost anywhere. It also comes with foot straps so you can get both an upper-body and a lower-body workout.
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Body Sculpture BMG-4410 Multi Gym
The BMG-4410 by Body Sculpture is the most affordable multi-gym on our list, which made it extremely attractive to us. Even at its price, it still comes with a decent amount of features, and you should be able to follow a complete workout routine with the addition of some other minor equipment.
What is awesome about this specific multi-gym is that it includes a station for a punching bag as well as a speed bag, making it perfect for those who love this form of cardio or who want to work out some frustrations. Both the speed bag and the punching bag (66 kg) are included which makes this setup an even better value for money. With the bench station and the top cable pulley, you can do lat pull downs, tricep extensions, bicep pull downs, chest press, butterflies and more. The lower cable pulley allows you to do standing bicep curls and horizontal rows among other exercises.
It comes with a basic leg attachment for leg extensions and standing leg curls. It’s by no means a complete multi-gym, but it does deliver a lot of bang for your buck, particularly if the boxing equipment is interesting to you. All customers seem to agree that it’s exceptionally sturdy when set up properly.
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Marcy GS99 Dual Stack Home Gym
Right from the start, the unique thing about this multi-gym is that it comes with two stations, each complete with its own bench. Each has different upper-body and lower-body capabilities to cover even more exercises as well as its very own 65 kg weight stacks.
One station has a cable for pulldowns, butterfly arms, chest press handles, a preacher bench, leg extension/leg curl attachment and a low pulley for cable curls and rows. Handily, the preacher station can be used with the lower pulley and doubles as a grip for when you do standing leg curls. The second station is for shoulder presses, leg presses and seated calf raises. Both weight stacks generate 145 kg maximum resistance, which should do for most people and for most exercises. The lat bar, straight bar, d-handle and ankle straps are all included with the machine.
One problem you might face with this machine is that it requires almost 2.5 m of space in both directions, making it one of the biggest stations on this list. It’s also the third most expensive multi-gym.
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FINNLO BIO-FORCE Multi Gym
We can’t argue that this is one strange-looking contraption with all its curved lines and cables going here and there. However, it’s a very versatile and useful multi-gym to have in your home. The extensive use of cables means that you will be working those elusive balancing and stabilising muscles as well as your big guns. Apparently, it’s such an effective machine that it’s even used by the European Astronaut Center as well as by many pro athletes.
Another unique feature of this multi-gym is that it doesn’t use any weights—something we haven’t come across yet. Instead, you adjust the resistance using the Total Nitrogencell Technology. This has many benefits. For one, you can adjust your weights in 1 kg increments from 5 to 100 kg easily. Also, the weights can’t fall and make noise, and it renders the home gym much more mobile.
Even though it works mostly through cables, you can get a full body workout from your legs to your back to your shoulders. The frame is also extremely stable for this type of machine, and it never feels like you’re losing your balance.
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BH Fitness G152X Global Multi Gym with Leg Press
Looking at this machine, you could be forgiven for thinking it must be the most important multi-gym on this list. It looks somewhat futuristic and expensive. While it is among the most expensive products, it certainly is well worth the money. There is very little that you can’t do with this machine.
It consists of three separate stations. The first is a relatively typical upper-body station with lat pull-down cables, butterfly and chest dip arms and a leg extension and standing leg curl attachment. The second is a simple stand for hanging leg raises and chest or tricep dips. The third is a leg press station. The quality of this machine is awesome and comparable to that of the Life Fitness G7. The bearings and CAMs are exceptionally well-made and really makes you feel secure.
The max resistance generated by the 78 kg weight stack is 100 kg, which should suit most people. However, we had a slight problem with how the weights stack. It seems a bit crazy that you can only go straight from 8 kg to 16 kg.
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Life Fitness G7 Cable Motion Gym With Bench
Now, to see if the most expensive piece of equipment (by quite a margin) is worth the money. The first thing to notice is that the whole machine is extremely high-quality. The cable attachments are particularly easy to move up and down between the 20 adjustment positions and to lock into place. The frame itself is also firmly planted on the ground, and it’s clear it won’t be going anywhere.
It also has one or two other interesting features, such as a space in the back panel to put your water bottle or other gear. The exercise guidebook is also built into this same panel. The machine itself only comes with two independent cable and weight mechanisms. However, it does have an extra bench included that can help you do other exercises as well. There is also a pull-up bar at the top.
Another positive thing about it is that it can fit neatly in the corner, which makes it one of the most space-efficient solutions despite being quite large. The downside is that you end up paying mostly for quality above quantity, as it’s not as versatile as other multi-gyms.
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Marcy Eclipse HG3000 Compact Home Gym with Weight Stack
Right from the start, we can tell you that this is one of the best multi-gyms for your money on this list. Despite looking pretty unassuming, it’s an incredibly versatile multi-gym that will open a world of possibilities to you. Your chest is covered with both a chest press and butterfly arms. You can work out your arms or back with both the lateral and horizontal cable pulleys.
The bench also has an attachment for arm curls as well as leg extensions and standing leg curls. You can use the bottom pulley and cable as the arm curl attachment. You can also swap it around and hold onto the arm curl stand while you do standing leg curls. One problem we have with this machine is that the weight only goes to 68 kg. While this may be enough for most people’s upper body routines, it will be too low for some when doing legs.
The bench is also a bit spartan, although it should fulfil your needs. The last thing we can say is that the quality feels really good, just like the other Marcy products on our list. It’s almost identical to the FINNLO in every way.
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Bowflex Xtreme 2SE Home Gym
Last but not least, we have the Xtreme 2SE Home Gym by Bowflex. This machine functions a lot like the FINNLO BIO-FORCE in how it makes use mostly of cable mechanisms for its variety of exercises. It also involves adjusting the resistance to increase weight instead of actual weights.
The maximum resistance you can get from this machine is 95 kg which is pretty decent for a home multi-gym. The cables come from just about everywhere and can be adjusted to enable almost any type of cable exercise you can think of. To make things even better, it comes with an abdominal crunch harness so you can go after that six pack.
We appreciate the other small features too, like the patterned foot platform, giving you something to push against with your feet.
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Conclusion
Now that you know what the best home multi-gyms have to offer, it’s time to buy one and start working out. We tried to keep things as diverse as possible. There are more ways than one to get a full-body workout, and we tried to illustrate that with the TRX Training Kit as well as the weight-free FINNLO and Bowflex.
You should also see that there is a wide range of prices available to suit all kinds of budgets, from roughly a hundred pounds to thousands of pounds.
We just thought that overall, the Marcy Eclipse Deluxe Smith Machine Gym was the best value for money. It is one of the most versatile machines, it doesn’t take up too much space, it comes with a number of extras and it falls in the lower price range.
Buyer’s Guide to Home Multi-Gyms
What to look for in a home multi-gym
Dimensions
You might not think this is such a vital factor until you start building your multi-gym and suddenly realise that your car can’t fit in the garage or that you need to get rid of some of your furniture. Also, look for equipment that comes with a smart space solution. This might be a machine that folds or one that’s designed to fit in a corner.
Versatility
This one goes without saying. To effectively replace your gym membership, the machine has to provide as many exercises as possible. If a machine comes with an extra loose bench, it’s a big plus, as you can use this in multiple other ways. Make sure that your upper body, legs and abs are covered.
Weights
Surprise, surprise! Not all weight training machines need, well, weights. Some devices let you adjust the “weight” by increasing or decreasing resistance. This is much more convenient as it doesn’t weigh down your machine. It also allows you to adjust weight in smaller increments.
Attachments
Make sure that a multi-gym comes with all the attachments you need, such as cable handles, lat pulldown bars, d-handles, etc. Buying these separately is an inconvenience you don’t need, especially considering that most products come with them. However, buying some extra attachments could increase the number of exercises you can do.
Tom Purton is a fitness junkie. Testing the latest and greatest products on the market and writing reviews in the strength, nutrition, running and many more. For more information about the latest reviews check out Ghost Fitness.
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