Tips, guides and buying advice to help you get the most out of your fitness equipment.
Explore our latest posts on gym equipment, buying guides and more.
Prime Day can be great for fitness gear, if you know what to look for. Here's the guide.
Make this the year your resolution sticks. Here's the equipment and plan to start strong.
Great gym gifts don't have to be expensive. Here are useful picks under $50.
Thoughtful gifts for women who love to train, from stocking stuffers to home gym upgrades.
Shopping for someone who lives at the gym? Here are gifts he'll actually use.
A warranty is only as good as its fine print. Here's how to read one.
Starting small? Here's how to equip a gym that members love without overspending.
Flooring protects your building, members and equipment. Here's how commercial options compare.
Opening a functional fitness box? Here's the equipment list and typical costs.
A great gym layout keeps members moving, safe and happy. Here's how to plan your floor.
Big lifters and bigger bodies need equipment that won't flex. Here's what to look for.
Standard equipment can feel cramped when you're tall. Here's what to look for.
Better balance means fewer falls and more independence. Here's safe equipment for older adults.
You can build strong glutes at home with a few smart tools. Here's what to buy.
The right equipment can help you stay active with back pain. Here's what tends to be most back friendly.
Knee pain doesn't mean you have to stop training. These machines are gentler on your joints.
Build a home gym that fits your goals and your space. Here's the equipment worth buying.
Stronger hands mean bigger lifts and better daily function. Here are the best grip tools.
A hip thrust machine makes heavy glute training fast and comfortable. Here's how to choose one.
A home reformer brings studio Pilates to your living room. Here's how to choose one.
Vertical climbers deliver a full-body, low-impact workout in a small footprint. Here's what to know.
They look similar but are built for different jobs. Here's which ball you need.
Suspension trainers use bodyweight and angles for a full-body workout anywhere. Here's how to choose one.
Rings are a full gym in a bag. Here's how to choose, hang and train with them.
Once bodyweight gets easy, a dip belt keeps you progressing. Here's how to choose one.
The safety squat bar takes stress off your shoulders and builds big quads and upper backs. Here's what to know.
Sled pushes build leg drive and conditioning with no eccentric soreness. Here's how to pick a sled.
Sandbags build real-world strength because they shift and fight back. Here's how to choose one.
Battle ropes deliver full-body conditioning with zero impact. Here's how to choose and use them.
Soft, wood or steel? Here's how to pick a plyo box for box jumps, step-ups and more.
Planning a facility? Here's what commercial equipment typically costs, new and used.
Shipping heavy equipment isn't like shipping a parcel. Here's what freight costs and how to save.
Is a $3,000 treadmill really better than a $700 one? Here's where the money goes.
Timing can save you hundreds. Here's when fitness equipment typically goes on sale.
Rowers range from $150 to $3,000. Here's what each budget gets you.
Dumbbells are usually priced by the pound. Here's what's a fair price for each type.
Racks range from $200 squat stands to $4,000 commercial cages. Here's what the money buys.
A home gym can cost $300 or $30,000. Here's an itemized breakdown at three budgets.
Treadmills range from a few hundred dollars to over $10,000. Here's what you get at each price point.
Peak horsepower is marketing; continuous horsepower is what matters. Here's how much motor you actually need.
Black Friday is one of the best times of year to buy fitness equipment. Here's what to expect and how to shop smart.
Heavy equipment needs a plan. Here's how gym equipment delivery and installation work and how to avoid surprises.
Buying gym equipment wholesale can save thousands, if you choose the right supplier. Here's how to vet them.
Financing or leasing can get a gym open without draining your cash. Here's how each option works and what it really costs.
Straps, wedges, balls and machines can help you stretch deeper and more consistently. Here's what's worth buying.
Compression boots squeeze your legs in pulses to help them feel fresh. Here's how they work and whether they're worth it.
Infrared, traditional or blanket? Here's how home saunas compare on heat, cost and installation.
From inflatable ice baths to chilled tubs with filtration, here's how to choose a home cold plunge.
Soft, firm, textured or vibrating? Here's how to choose a foam roller and use it effectively.
Amplitude, stall force and noise separate a great massage gun from a toy. Here's what to look for.
Wrist, chest or finger? Here's how fitness trackers compare for lifting, cardio and recovery tracking.
The ab wheel is one of the toughest core exercises you can do. Here's how to choose one and use it safely.
A jump rope is the cheapest cardio machine you'll ever buy. Here's which rope suits beginners, double-unders and conditioning.
A weighted vest makes walks, runs and bodyweight workouts harder. Here's how to choose one and how much weight to use.
Thin for balance, thick for comfort, rubber for equipment. Here's how to choose the right workout mat.
The right shoes can improve your squat depth and stability. Here's how to choose lifting shoes for squats, deadlifts and mixed training.
Gloves, chalk or grips? Each protects your hands differently. Here's which one fits your training.
Straps help you hold heavy pulls; wraps support your wrists on presses. Here's how to choose and use both.
Lever, prong or velcro? 10 mm or 13 mm? Here's how to choose a lifting belt that fits your training.
Bands are cheap, portable and surprisingly effective. Here's which type of resistance band set to buy for your goals.
You don't need thousands to get fit. These budget cardio options deliver real workouts for under $300.
A good elliptical delivers smooth, low-impact cardio for years. Here's what to check before you buy one for home.
Rowing works your legs, back and arms in one low-impact movement. Here's how to choose the right rower for your home.
Air bikes deliver brutal, efficient conditioning. Here's what separates a great fan bike from a cheap one.
Three bikes, three riding positions. Here's how recumbent, upright and spin bikes compare and which suits your body and goals.
Stationary bikes are quiet, compact and easy on the joints. Here's how to choose the right type for your goals.
Incline walking burns far more calories than flat walking without the impact of running. Here's how to choose a treadmill built for it.
Weight capacity is only the start. Here's how to choose a high-capacity treadmill that's safe, comfortable and built to last.
A folding treadmill gives you real workouts and reclaims your floor afterward. Here's how to choose one that's still solid.
A walking pad saves space; a treadmill does more. Here's how to decide which one fits your goals and home.
Walking pads make it easy to add thousands of steps to your workday. Here's what to look for in an under-desk treadmill.
Motor, belt, deck, incline and price: here's everything that separates a great home treadmill from one that ends up as a clothes rack.
Back extension benches and GHDs build the posterior chain. Here's how they differ and which one fits your gym.
Doorway, wall or ceiling? Here's how each type of pull-up bar works and which one fits your home.
A leg press lets you train legs heavy without loading your spine. Here's how to pick the right home leg press machine.
A home pulldown machine builds a wider back when pull-ups are too hard or not enough. Here's how to choose one.
A functional trainer gives you hundreds of cable exercises in one footprint. Here's how to choose the right cable machine for your gym.
A Smith machine lets you press and squat safely alone. Here's what to look for, from bar path and counterbalance to all-in-one Smith combos.
A folding weight bench stores under a bed or against a wall. Here's how to choose one that's still solid enough for heavy presses.
Your power rack can do far more than squats. These attachments turn it into a complete gym.
A bundled Olympic weight set is the fastest way to start lifting. Here's what's included, what to check and when to buy separately.
Not all bumpers are equal. Here's what to look for in a bumper plate set, from bounce and hub quality to the right starter set.
Bumpers protect your floor and let you drop the bar; cast iron is cheaper and thinner. Here's how to choose.
The barbell is the one piece of equipment you'll touch every session. Here's how to choose a 20 kg Olympic bar that lasts a lifetime.
A folding squat rack gives you heavy squats and bench presses, then folds flat against the wall. Here's how to choose one.
An adjustable kettlebell saves space, but does it swing like the real thing? Here's how it stacks up against a traditional kettlebell set.
Cast iron or competition style? Here's what separates a great kettlebell from a cheap one, and how to build a home kettlebell set.
From neoprene light weights to adjustable sets that grow with you, here's how to choose the best dumbbells for women.
Hex dumbbells stay put; round dumbbells look and feel like a commercial gym. Here's how they compare and which suits your gym.
One pair of adjustable dumbbells can replace an entire rack. Here's how the main designs compare and how to choose the right set.
Staying strong is one of the best things you can do as you age. These safe, low-impact picks make it easy to train at home.
Train in the fresh air without wrecking your gear. Here's how to choose weatherproof equipment and set up a backyard gym that lasts.
Low ceilings, moisture and poor light are the classic basement problems. Here's how to turn a basement into a home gym you'll love.
We run the numbers on a home gym vs a gym membership over five years, plus the non-money factors that decide which is right for you.
Rubber stall mats, interlocking tiles, rolled rubber or turf? Here's how to choose the best home gym flooring for your lifts, room and budget.
You don't need a showroom to get strong. This beginner home gym equipment list covers the must-haves, the nice-to-haves and the stuff to skip.
From a single-car bay to a full two-car build, here's how to lay out, floor and equip a garage gym that you'll actually use.
An AMT and an elliptical look alike but move very differently. Here's how to choose between them.
Shopping for a Precor AMT? Here's how the main models and generations differ and which one makes the most sense to buy used.
Non-motorized treadmills burn more calories and need no outlet. Here's how curved, flat and sled-style self-powered treadmills compare.
A turf sled needs a long lane. A sled push machine fits in a treadmill-sized space. Here's how they compare.
Both make you climb, but they're very different machines. Here's how the Jacobs Ladder compares with a stair climber like the PowerMill.
Stair climbers are one of the most requested machines in any gym. Here's how to choose a commercial stair climber that lasts and fits your floor.
Every gym calls them something different. Here's how revolving step mills like the PowerMill compare with pedal steppers and vertical climbers.
Every piece of gym equipment needs a home. Here are the storage racks that keep a gym organized, safe and easy to use — and how to choose each one.
Two tiers or three? Here's how 2 tier, 3 tier, 4 tier and vertical dumbbell racks compare on capacity, footprint, height and ease of use.
A 3 tier rack stores more dumbbells in less floor space than any other design. Here's how to choose the right 3 tier dumbbell rack for a home or commercial gym.
Arc Trainers are premium machines, so buying smart matters. Here's how to choose between new and used, home and commercial, and what to check before you pay.
Used commercial equipment can cut the cost of opening or expanding a gym dramatically. Here's how to plan, source and inspect a pre-owned equipment package.
Buying local saves on freight and lets you test before you pay. Here's how to find used exercise equipment stores and fitness machines for sale near you.
From specialist marketplaces to gym liquidations and local listing apps, here's where to buy used fitness equipment — and the pros and cons of each.
Retailers, dealers, used marketplaces and seasonal sales — how to buy an elliptical machine for the right price.
What separates a commercial elliptical from a home model, which brands lead the market, and how to get commercial quality for less.
Bench plus dumbbells or bench plus bar and plates — how to put together a bench and weights setup that's safe, compatible and built to grow with you.
From budget flat benches to commercial Olympic stations — what drives weight bench prices, and where the best value really is.
Thicker steel, bigger capacity, tougher pads — what makes a commercial gym bench different, and why heavy-duty benches are worth it for gyms and serious home lifters.
Built-in uprights, spotter platforms and commercial steel — what to know about Olympic benches before you buy one for barbell bench press.
Simple, stable and nearly indestructible — here's why a flat weight bench still belongs in almost every gym, and what to check before you buy one.
Space, budget, stability and the exercises you actually do — how to pick a workout bench that earns its spot in your home gym.
Back angles, pad gap, weight capacity and adjustment style — everything that separates a great adjustable weight bench from one you'll replace in a year.
Big-box gym, boutique studio, hotel or university facility — here's how to match a commercial gym equipment brand to your specific facility and member base.
NordicTrack, Rogue, or a used commercial-grade brand — here's how to choose a gym equipment brand that actually fits a home setup.
MTS and V Squat machines built for heavy, plate-loaded leg training — here's what Hammer Strength is known for, and how to shop for it new or used.
Lat pulldown, leg press, shoulder press and more — here's what Matrix Fitness's commercial lineup covers, and how to shop for it new or used.
Chest press, arm curl, shoulder press and more — here's what Life Fitness's commercial strength lineup covers, and how to shop for it new or used.
Chest press, pulldown, leg press and more — here's what Precor's commercial strength lineup covers, and how to shop for it new or used.
Pectoral, press, pulley and cable machines built for commercial floors — here's what Technogym is known for, and how to shop for it new or used.
Eagle, VR and selectorized strength machines built for commercial floors — here's what Cybex is known for, and how to shop for it new or used.
Flooring, storage, rack attachments and bands — here's which home gym accessories genuinely earn their spot, where to buy them, and which to skip when you're starting out.
Low ceiling, small room or shared space — here's which equipment types genuinely save space, and what to check before you buy.
Racks, rigs, barbells and conditioning gear built for garage gyms and serious strength training — here's what Rogue Fitness is known for, and how to shop for it new or used.
A practical shopping plan for home gym equipment — how much space and budget you actually need, which equipment earns its place first, and whether a complete package or building piece by piece makes more sense for you.
What separates commercial-grade equipment from home-grade, how gym owners source full packages, and how to plan a purchase from single machines to full fit-outs.
Online marketplace, local dealer, wholesaler or private seller — here's how to decide where to actually buy your next piece of gym equipment.
Everything to know before you buy: equipment types, new vs. used, commercial vs. home, and how to choose a seller you can trust.
