When trying to put together a list of fitness machines for gym at home, it can be a little confusing and intimidating. There are so many things to consider before looking at the first piece of machinery and missing one detail can result in a lot of wasted money. Before you start drooling over that new BowFlex machine, make sure everything else is in line.

The room that is going to be the gym is the first thing that has to be looked at. If you don't know the space that you have, how can equipment be purchased for it? Imagine spending $10,000 on the best new equipment available only to find out that half of it doesn't even fit in the room.

Once the space has been established, the budget must be considered. Establishing how much money can be spent on each piece will keep you from spending too much on any one piece resulting in the need to get sub-par equipment for everything else. It is best to sit down and figure out exactly what is going to be allocated and to stick to those numbers.

Health is also something that must be considered. For instance, if you are 300 pounds and trying to get back in shape, the same equipment would not be used for someone that is a trim 180 and only interested in endurance. There are also those that cannot use equipment that will put a lot of strain on their backs. This will further narrow down the choice so of equipment that can be purchased.

The actual workout equipment is usually only one aspect of the items that go into a fitness room. There may also be things like rubber padding or mats, mirrors, water coolers and of course, the flat screen wall mounted TV to watch while you are on the treadmill running to nowhere. You may even want vibration machines for some relaxation. All of these things need to be accounted for and put into the overall budget.

When all of these details are finally ironed out, you can finally start shopping for your fitness equipment. While new equipment is easy to find, getting the best deal is going to take some work. Don't stop at the first site that you find just because they have what you are looking for. Use sites that offer comparison pricing to make sure that the best deal is the one you choose.

You can also decide to go with used equipment. If you do this, you can often get a better grade of equipment, but there may be some risk involved. Online dealers will also have this, just be sure that they is also something in the purchase agreement that will allow you to inspect the equipment to make sure that it is in good working order before you accept it.

While creating home gyms can be very enjoyable, there are also a lot of pratfalls that must be avoided to make sure that too much money is not being spent. Use the Internet to get the best prices. Just remember, now that you have your own gym, you no longer have any excuses for that spare tire that you have been getting away with carrying around.

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Dumbbells or free weights offer a number of advantages over weight machines. But the latter are not without benefits, either. In the end, the decision of which to choose or use will come down to cost, space and the type of workout you're after.

Dumbbells typically come in the form of a short bar with a weight on each end. Some are one-piece molded plastic (usuallly neoprene). Others have discs that can be swapped out, added to and so forth. The integrated style have the advantage of being low-cost, very sturdy and relatively safe to use. But you'll often want several pair of different weights, offsetting the savings. Adjustable free weights allow you to choose how much weight you want to work with, but require a little time and sometimes a tool to make the swap.

Both offer an excellent range of motion that can be approached by very few weight machines. They allow you to move the mass any way you want so you can tailor your workout. It's difficult to find a machine that will allow you to do curls, wrist work, deltoid development and more. When you can, it requires having more than one station on a weight machine, which increases its cost.

But, dumbbells can be a little riskier to use. While caution is required with weight machines, too, they make it less likely to slip and hit yourself with the weight. A weight machine offers a stack that slides up or down a fixed pole or an in-built resistance mechanism and it's practically impossible to topple them over.

If you curl a free weight fast and hit yourself in the chest, you won't be the first one to get a bruise that way. Many a foot has experienced the force of a dropped dumbbell, too. Getting ones made of neoprene helps only slightly, since 20 lbs dropped on your toe hurts whether it's made of metal or not and the material is not spongy.

Free weights, since they're quite a bit smaller than even the smallest weight machine, provide the ultimate in space savings. A weight machine will take up about as much space in a room as a treadmill, sometimes more if it has multiple stations. Dumbbells can easily fit under the bed or in the closet.

They're also very flexible. Many models allow the weights to be attached to a barbell, which increases the value of your investment. Just remove them and slide them onto a bar that may be up to several feet wide and you can have an entirely different kind of workout.

Weight machines offer a different kind of flexibility, though, one that can particularly benefit the novice. With a weight machine it's very easy to design a workout that is tailored to very specific muscle groups. Free weights make it a little more difficult to control the movement to hone in on just the ones you want.

If you're on a strict budget, it's best to start with a small set of dumbbells. Non-interchangeable plastic models sell for only a few dollars, but even a set that can be loaded up to 50 lbs or more can be had for a few hundred. A discount weight machine will start at that price and go up from there.

Also, if you want the most flexible workout possible, free weights are the way to go. Weight machines have some terrific benefits but dumbbells provide the greatest possible range of motion for the most varied workouts.

When you want to get the most out of your fitness routines, you'll start thinking about equipping a home gym. Since it can represent a substantial investment, you'll want to take it in stages, making wise choices at every step.

Most people will first think about getting a treadmill. That's an excellent choice. They provide superb cardiovascular benefits, help strengthen and tone several muscle groups and can burn calories like mad. But, because of the cost, this might not be the piece of gear to start with first.

An aerobic rider is a good place to start, even though that piece of gear is not absolutely essential. It has real benefits for those just starting out and a used one can be purchased for less than $50.

To build muscle and improve coordination and joint stability, a good set of weights is a must. To save money, it's possible to start small with a few neoprene dumbbell sets of varying weights. But soon, you'll want to graduate to an interchangeable outfit, especially the type with plates or discs that can be used either on dumbbells or barbells.

If you have the budget (and interest) you might take the plunge and go for a weight machine or home gym. That investment is better made after you've used one at the public gym at least a few times, though. Once you decide to go for it, make sure to get one with at least a few stations. You don't want your interest to wane out of lack of variety after only a few weeks or months.

A good weight machine will cost at least a few hundred dollars, probably closer to $1,000 or more. That's a substantial investment, but a good machine will work for you and keep your interest for years. You can build strength in every muscle group and a good one will have enough variety to perform a few dozen different exercises. Some will even include a rowing machine as part of the unit.

An elliptical trainer is another favorite, even though they too can be pricey. They provide not only excellent cardio benefits, but make possible a whole range of exercises. The emphasis is on leg development, but with a good pair of handles you can also work back muscles, deltoids, pecs, biceps and more.

One alternative, or addition, is Nordic ski machines. They may seem like a specialty item, since they're designed to emulate cross-country skiing and you may not be into that. But the types of motion used are similar to that employed in using an elliptical trainer. Emphasis is on leg development, but with simulated pole motion you can get a range of back and arm exercises too.

The most important aspect of outfitting a home gym, though, isn't the dollars you spend or the gear you get. Those aren't unimportant, but they're not the key. The key is to get quality gear that you will enjoy using.

According to numerous official studies the major reason most people stop working out is lost motivation. That can be brought on by injury, lack of variety or other factors. A good home gym plan will keep you using that gear you spent so much research time investigating and money buying.

Free weights, dumbbells, barbells... all great tools. But a weight machine has advantages that they just can't match.

They're much safer. True, you have to exercise caution when you use one. But the odds of dropping a weight at the wrong angle are eliminated and spotting someone on a machine is much, much easier.

They're simple to use, yet provide a wide range of exercises to work every muscle group. Almost all provide some means of working those triceps and deltoids, almost as many have a station to work biceps, too. But a good weight machine will offer mechanisms to work the hamstrings and quadriceps, all back muscle groups and more with one easy method.

Stack machines, for example, provide a stack of weights that is adjustable simply by moving a pin. Plate loads offer the same basic option, but the weights are removable. Safe, quick and practically indestructible you can move the weight from 10 lbs to 100 lbs or more with one quick movement. No need to waste time and energy removing a friction lever or bolt, strapping on several discs as you do with free weights.

An all purpose weight machine will offer a sturdy set of 'handlebars' for working the trapezoids, deltoids, pecs and other groups. It will include a similar bar on a cable to work abs, biceps, triceps and more. The dorsal muscles get a work out from some that offer a swivel and plate assembly attached to the weights. Adjustable with ease. Don't forget about those built-in chinning bars, either. Try to do pull-ups with a set of barbells.

Some even incorporate a rowing machine to get one of the best full body workouts you can imagine. They work every muscle in your body in one way or another and also are great for the cardiovascular system.

A good one will also have an adjustable incline on the bench that offers a safe, easy way to do sit-ups and crunches at varying levels. That same bench makes it a snap to do bench presses using a range of weights. You'll never outgrow a good weight machine. It lets you start at your level and keeps up with you as you rise in strength.

Some models allow the bench to double as an incline plane, which is great for those hyperextension exercises. That offers an excellent way to build abs, back muscles and more.

There are some potential drawbacks to weight machines, though.

They're much more expensive than free weights, so they should be looked as a long term investment. A basic set of dumbbells can run as little as $100. Most weight machines start at about $400 for anything that has more than the bare minimum and they go up from there.

From a workout perspective, it takes a good machine a little bit of planning to avoid overworking the same muscles in the same way. Because of their limited range of motion, it's possible to get stuck in a rut. Also, it simply takes more balance, coordination and strength in different directions to lift and balance, say, a 100 lb barbell than the same weight on a machine.

But a machine with lots of variation makes it possible to overcome all those potential problems without difficulty.