Fitness Equipment Choices

Training
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Hi everyone,
I’m new to fitness and wanted to ask a quick question—I’d love to hear your thoughts!
When it comes to strength training, would you consider using portable equipment like TRX suspension trainers and the Tousains Hivegym?
Or do you prefer traditional equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, and weight benches?
I’m curious whether people see these newer types of fitness equipment as effective, or if they tend to stick with more traditional options.
Thanks in advance for your comments!

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Dont rush into investing into equipment until your certain your going to stick with it.

Probably not a bad option for you starting out.

Most definitely

I mean a basic weight set and a few odds and ends have been proven for decades as effective. Along with being cost effective.

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These, no question.

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I much prefer a combination of free weights and (typically plate-loaded) machines. Cable stacks are very effective too.

If I were to invest in a home gym, I’d get really far with a rack, bar and plates. Bonus points for pull-up bar, bands, and then maybe one of those add-on pulleys.

Traveling, I get a lot of bang for my buck out of bands. Whether using them standalone or adding them to the typically lighter dumbbells you’ll find in a home gym, they’re a cheap way to add a ton of options.

The TRX was popular when I was in the Army, but I never knew anyone to fall in love with them. It felt like a lot of setup to do the pushups and pull ups we were going to do anyway.

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Well on a bright note… this thread actually is more interesting than another clavicle length one.

Since ironically as of late ive been on a buying spree and need to overhaul my garage for space.

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Maybe we should talk about fitness equipment on a budget.

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Fitness is a lifelong investment in yourself. Becoming strong makes you healthier and likely to live longer. In addition to strength, being fit might increase your endurance, power, flexibility, mobility and balance.

If it is an option, find a well-reviewed gym in your area and see what they have. If you know little, they have a range of equipment and can give advice.

If you do not want to spend much money, consider buying a chin-up bar and a basic barbell and dumbbell set. Jogging costs little. Read about bodyweight exercises on the Internet.

There is nothing wrong with the options you mentioned. A couple elastic weightlifting bands attached to a chin-up bar is as useful as what you mentioned. Joining a gym for a year would give you more perspective - in my Canadian town this can be done as cheaply as $250 a year, but you could try it for a month for much less. Much depends on where you live. To improve, the only things you really need to do are show up, and try.

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Thanks for your detailed reply! I decide to go to a nearby gym first.

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Thanks for your sharing!

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Thanks so much for your advice! I will see whether there are public gyms around my apartment and try different machines.

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Yeahh! That is what I am looking for. But after review your advice, I decide to go to the gym and try different equipment.

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Yess. They never go out of fashion in fitness.

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I bought a belt squat off temu last year and it’s the most solid piece of equipment I have. Less than $400 and works great.

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The weight training aspect of my decisions have a few variables that I seek compliance:

  1. I look for the best equipped gym
  2. I look for the gym with the highest level of lifters in bodybuilding first and powerlifting second
  3. I need to be around other lifters to feed off of their energy.

My motivation to lift was to be bigger, better, and stronger than others lifting around me. The equipment, though important, is second to the motivation to successfully compete. I don’t feel I failed if I am not the best, but I feed on the journey.

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Another vote for a good barbell, some dumbbells and if you’re feeling froggy, a rack.

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A flywheel trainer is space efficient, and based on my own experience, a highly effective strength and muscle builder. It cost as much as a full set of barbell with proper weights and a stand. Now, I use this mainly as an accessory device to my powerbuilding ambitions - But, I used it exclusively for 6 months, when time did not allow any visits to a gym. Visiting my old workplace before and after this period, quite a few people commented on me being significantly bigger. Flywheel supposedly works then.

That said, if I had the space and able to slam with weights, I would go for a full barbell set and a real rack solution mainly.

Other honorable mentions for the home gym: Resistance bands, chest expander, chinup rack, a proper adjustable bench, adjustable dumbbells.

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