Top 7 Best Compact Home Gym for Small Spaces - Home Gym Magazine (2024)

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If you are a fitness freak, there is every chance that you love to work out whenever and wherever you get time.

Most exercise lovers set up their home gym to get the best of their daily available free time. I understand that some of you whose tiny condo or apartment don’t offer much space to set up an entire home gym.

But don’t’ worry as you are not left out. There is excellent small and compact home gym equipment that would snugly fit in the available space.

Listed below are the best compact home gym for small space that would help you pick your favorite equipment:

• Bowflex Home Gym Series (PR 3000)—Best Overall
• Total Gym 1400 Deluxe Home Equipment—Best Foldable All-in-One Gym
• Marcy Multi-Function Steel Home Gym MWM-988—Versatile Multi-Gym
• Weider Ultimate Body Works—Best Budget Home Gym
• Total Gym APEX G1
• Gold’s Gym XRS 50 Home Gym System
• GR8FLEX Total Performance Gym

Find the overview, pros & cons below.

How to Choose the Best Compact Home Gym for Small Space?

If you are perplexed with how to go about choosing the best compact home gym equipment, it is ideal to look for multiple features, including the type, resistance levels offered, fitness goals, and price, before finalizing a product.

You could find plenty of home gym setups available in all different shapes and sizes.

1. Types of Compact Home Gym

Normally, it isn’t possible to come up with an extremely compact machine without making any compromises on its functionality.

In general, there are three types of compact multis—traditional to the extreme.

Again, it depends on the type of home gym you wish to have at home.

Traditional home gyms mostly consist of a pulley system, while modern home gyms come with sliding seats and rails occupying more space.

But modern home gyms are also foldable most times, making it easy for you to store them away despite their larger footprint.

The third model is the ‘Gym in a Box’ concept. The name sounds alluring, and it is also as compact as possible easy to move around too.

But they are also equally limiting in their features as they have been designed to be as small as possible.

2. Fitness Goals

We don’t set up a home gym as part of our living space. The concept is loved by those who are generally into fitness.

Every fitness lover sets up his/her home gym with a definite goal in mind and works toward achieving the goal.

So, anytime you venture out to buy compact home gym equipment, you must remember the goal you would like to accomplish using the machine.

For instance, if muscle building and strength are your primary motive, I recommend you to look out for a machine that’s sturdy and durable and also equipped to hold a set of dumbbells or even squat racks in due course.

If you would love to tone your muscles or maintain your present strength levels, I suggest that you go for a model with the basic pulley system (traditional home gym).

Otherwise, you could even buy compact models that provide total body workouts.

3. Resistance

Resistance is important to improve your fitness levels and keeps you going without monotony with its challenging traits.

The resistance of a multi always depends on the goals that you have set.

Howsoever, you are sure to find four types of resistance in compact home gyms which include power rods, a classic weight stack, your body weight, and Olympic plates.

Let’s take it one by one.

Power rods are simple tools that bend as you pull and are most simple and straightforward.

However, most units use the weight stacks option that’s convenient, easy to use, and helps each trainer achieve his/her goal without fail.

Some models give the option of stacking Olympic plates, which become integral for you if the goal involves some serious muscle building.

The only downside here is that you need to purchase your plates alone.

Else, if you are not convinced with any of the above options, you’ve always got the Total Gym-style machines that make your body do all the work for you.

Here, the resistance levels depend on the inclination levels—the steeper the incline, the greater is the resistance offered.

4. Price

This becomes important depending on your budget.

But most of you needn’t have to bother much about pricing as compact home gyms are normally less expensive and budget-friendly than normal equipment.

That’s primarily because they are obviously smaller in size and hence, offer lesser features comparatively.

So, while the price is reasonable, you must be prepared to accept the fact that they can never match the machines at your gym.

Why Should You Get a Compact Home Gym for Limited Space?

Compact home gyms were specifically designed for users with limited space at home.

You might be extremely concerned about staying fit, but your home space doesn’t seem to be encouraging and accommodating to normal home gym equipment.

In that case, a compact home gym occupies minimal space and can help you stay fit and healthy.

The compact home gym could even be foldable, keeping you happier than ever.

You might not be able to visit the gym as it might be too far from your place.

Or, you might not have enough time to spare a visit to the fitness center due to your work timings.

A home gym comes as a blessing in disguise to all these problems of yours.

You can set up the equipment in one corner of the room and fulfill your goal without taking a step out of your house.

But, the only downside is that these machines have fixed weight stacks.

Stagnant resistance levels mean stagnating fitness levels.

To realize whether the compact home gym is worth investing in, why don’t you do a cost-benefit analysis? Understand the following points:

• Are you better off with your gym membership that costs a lot plus your fuel costs, as well as time is taken for travel?
• Is investing in a home gym a better alternative than the first option?

If you are new to fitness and are at the threshold of venturing on your health journey, the choices you make become even more important.

Remember, any choice you take is a good one as long as you are working out regularly.

So, a good home gym could be your best investment if you suffer from limited space at home.

7 Best Compact Home Gym for Small Space

Given below are the top seven best compact home gym models that would help you achieve great fitness levels in the comfort of your small living space.

#1. Bowflex Home Gym Series (PR 3000)

The Bowflex compact home gym is an all-purpose gym that saves your space as well as time.

Workout your entire body with the 50+ exercises that are possible using this equipment.

The equipment makes use of the Power Rod resistance system that mimics the use of free weights without any risks.

Though the rods provide only up to 210 lbs. of resistance, you can increase it up to 310 lbs. at an additional cost.

The benefit of using the Bowflex home gym is that you can switch between exercises without changing the machine (no-change pulley system design).

The company has optimally designed the equipment for comfort—the ankle cuffs add flexibility and the roller cushions are convenient to perform leg extensions and leg curls.

#2. Total Gym 1400 Deluxe Home Equipment

Who wouldn’t want to complete his/her daily workout routine in less than 15-20 minutes but reap superb benefits, including total-body workouts, fat burning, and muscle toning?

So, if you are one of those, the Total Gym 1400 Deluxe Home Gym is a piece of versatile equipment that offers you 60 different exercises that could be performed in the comfort of your home.

This compact gym equipment is smartly designed to strengthen and tone all major muscle groups simultaneously.

Feel free to do your bicep curls, chest press, and lat pull-downs.

The company hasn’t compromised on the machine’s frame, making the equipment using study steel and durable plastic.

This could be the perfect choice for any trainer level, right from a beginner to an advanced trainer, as you’ve got eight different levels of bodyweight resistance to choose from.

The machine uses the concept of a sliding bench that makes use of your body weight to add more resistance to the cable and pulley system.

You get to enjoy accessories, including multi-functional attachment and dip bars that benefit your upper body, a squat stand and leg pulley that’s helpful for your lower body, and an exercise flip chart just if you have queries performing any of the workouts.

You even get a workout DVD and an instruction manual to put any of your doubts to rest and also a nutrition guide.

Though the machine is foldable and compact don’t worry about the user weight limit as it can handle up to 295 lbs.

#3. Marcy Multi-Function Steel Home Gym MWM-988

Designed well and constructed perfectly using heavy-duty 14-gauge steel, the Marcy Home Gym gives you a gym-like training feel in the comfort of your home.

The frame is given a vinyl coating that assures durability.

I wouldn’t say that the unit is as compact as one expects a home gym for small spaces.

However, all the extra space it takes is deserving as the medium-sized unit has a weight stack and a pulley system.

You can perform all the different exercises you do at a regular gym, right from chest presses to lat pull-downs due to the weight stack and pulley system.

If lower body workouts fascinate you, the Marcy home gym comes with a padded leg developer with an attached foot wrap that adds comfort to your workouts.

I am also thrilled with the measures taken by the company to assure the safety of use.

The pivot points are designed to align knee joints while in motion, thereby preventing any leg injury that might arise while using them.

The adjustable preacher pad works hard to impose as minimal strain as possible in your arm and shoulder joints while doing exercises such as bicep curls.

#4. Weider Ultimate Body Works

The Weider home gym is not only compact. It occupies a small footprint, but the user also enjoys the quality available in other glider-style machines in the market at a comparatively lower price.

This is a home gym that proudly fits in your closet.

You might be wondering about the weights if you look at the product, and I will tell you that there are none.

You make use of your bodyweight along with the cable and pulley system to bring about resistance.

This absence of weight makes it possible for such compactness in size and affordability of the machine.

You need to change resistance simply by adjusting the angle of the glide board to strengthen muscles.

Users of all height ranges can comfortably use this equipment which also comes with a built-in footplate for squats and Pilates style exercises.

Do almost 50 different workouts, including bicep curls and full body exercises.

#5. Total Gym APEX G1

The Total Gym Apex G1 is a strength-building workout machine suitable for users whose primary goal is to build strength.

You can reap full-body workout benefits by exercising on this machine as it comes with wing attachment and leg-pull.

The company even provides an exercise chart to help you enhance your workout options.

If resistance is your requirement and you love challenges, how about adjusting the angle of the glide board to increase resistance levels?

The machine comes with a padded ergonomic glide board and is built with a quality steel frame with auto-lock height adjustments.

#6. Gold’s Gym XRS 50 Home Gym System

A compact home gym from a well-reputed brand should never disappoint, and the Gold’s Gym XRS 50 stands up to the expectations.

The equipment boasts a 112 lbs. vinyl weight stack that helps you with 280 lb. of challenging resistance levels.

You get a peck deck, leg exercises, multi-grip butterfly arms, and lat pulldowns that increase the versatility of the equipment.

The home gym comes with a high and low pulley with a lat bar for user convenience and improved exercising options.

Be ready to target and tone multiple muscle groups exercising these options and develop full-body strength.

The company has even gone to the extent of providing an exercise chart that comes in handy demonstrating the different exercises that could be performed using the machine.

#7. GR8FLEX Total Performance Gym

I can bet that you would not be able to find any other good compact home gym equipment that comes with a lifetime warranty, an all-inclusive package, and a good-quality finish compared to the pricing of the GR8FLEX Total Performance Gym.

You get to enjoy 15 different resistance levels and also an additional 50lbs of resistance bands as a freebie with the equipment.

This means that the machine doesn’t only rely upon the angle and body weight for resistance.

The company loves to satisfy customers. Otherwise, they would not end up providing tons of attachments, including wing bar, dip bars, leg harness, smartphone holder, EX curl bar, squat stand, and even mats to protect your flooring.

All in all, the GR8FLEX must be a great investment option for individuals who love a robust machine that’s stable and durable.

Final Words

You might have numerous reasons due to which you might be looking for compact home gym equipment.

But, before choosing any model, I strongly suggest that you note down your requirements, budget, and space available.

The home gym installed in your apartment/condo must encourage you to exercise regularly, which means that the equipment must be comfortable and convenient to work out.

Choose wisely and reap benefits by exercising on your compact home gym.

Read Also:

• Top 6 Best Low-Profile Home Gyms for Low Ceilings
• Top 8 Best Weight Stack Home Gyms
• Top 18 Best All In One Home Gyms – Read Before You Buy
• Top 8 Best Home Gym Under $1000
• How to Set Up a Home Gym in Apartments and Small Spaces
• Top 5 Best Small Exercise Equipment for Legs