The best multi-gym – known as the best home gym by American folks – is a self-contained workout unit. This type of fitness equipment can take up quite a lot of space in your home, but considering it can provide a full-body workout, it might be worth looking into getting one. And if that's what you plan on doing, read our multi-gym buying guide below.
The multi-gym could be the answer if you've got limited space at home but would like to see some muscular development and strength gains within a reasonable time. Plus, if you speak to any fitness expert worth their salt, they will almost unanimously agree that resistance training (when performed correctly) is one of the greatest weapons in the war against flab.
These compact lever and pulley systems pack many features into comparatively small home gym equipment, with the ability to adjust various sliders to work a multitude of body parts. The spread of weights in the more affordable models might be a limiting factor for some, but the progress that can be made with a multi-gym rig, some well-planned workouts and good form is incredible.
Best multi-gyms to buy right now
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The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE provides the versatility and space-saving design you’d want in a multi-gym. It not only gets the job done, but you can perform several exercises on one machine without needing a huge space. It's geared towards those with some experience with weightlifting and who want to grow their muscles without free weights. Better still, it looks great and also feels sturdy.
The Power Rod system allows for quiet workouts, which makes the Xtreme 2 SE the ideal multi-gym for shared households. A small caveat is, just like with resistance bands, that the system provides inconsistent resistance throughout the movement, which, which might be off-putting to seasoned gym rats.
Read our full Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE review
One way to ensure you receive a gym-quality workout is to purchase the sort of equipment that resides in your local fitness centre and slap it in a spare room at home. The Life Fitness G7 multi-gym is a professional-grade setup for private use, featuring hefty weight stacks, fully adjustable twin pulleys and the option of a malleable bench that hits several incline and decline settings.
Throw in the chin-up bar, and you have an all-encompassing system that can work out almost every conceivable muscle group in the body. To do so, it measures over two metres tall, around two metres wide and the same depth, which is quite a lot of floor space to take up. It's not cheap either.
However, the US-built contraption is designed and constructed to last for many years. That hefty initial outlay does include free installation, a training DVD with two workout routines, an exercise book with over 60 exercises and a bunch of pulley attachments to ensure you hit every muscle that counts. Also, it removes the need to work out near people. Money well spent, then.
The MuscleSquad Phase 2 Quarter Rack with Pulley is a bit different from the multi gyms above as this one is more of a started pack as opposed to a complete setup. Here, you have a heavy-duty freestanding rack that can hold up to 286 kg of weight but said weight is not included in the price, nor is a weight bench.
That said, this rack can provide a lot of versatility for your workouts, especially if you like heavy compound exercises such as bench presses or squats. This bad boy also has a high and low pulley system, a landmine attachment and a pull-up bar with various regular and cannonball grips. Sweet.
Included in the price is a plate-loaded cable pulley system (rated at 70 kg), a cannonball grip chin-up attachment (rated at 120 kg), bar storage, two weight plate storage poles, two monolift attachments, two J hooks (rated at 286 kg in total), two spotter arms (also rated to 286 kg), a lat pulldown bar attachment and a curl bar attachment.
Practically, this one unit can form the backbone of your home gym setup, all you have to do is shop for a barbell, some weight plates, plus a weight bench and you're all set.
Although not a traditional multi-gym, this futuristic number from NordicTrack cleverly blends strength-focused activities, HIIT workouts and other forms of cardiovascular fitness. Complete with a 10-inch Android tablet, the brushed silver system also features high-energy LiveCast pre-recorded studio workouts.
The personal iFit robo-trainer will automatically adjust the resistance of the machine, ensuring you receive the best workout for you and your goals. A sleek, versatile design that doesn't take up too much space and looks badass. What's not to like? You can even save on your order with one of our NordicTrack discount codes.
Read more about the Fusion CST here: Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE vs NordicTrack Fusion CST
With a 57 kg weight stack and a pulley system that equates to a maximum resistance of 150kg on the leg developer pads, this beast from Weider offers great bang for the buck and is great for anyone looking to pile on the mass. A chunky construction and comfortable pads make up for the fact that the amount of adjustability on the back pad is limited (no flat press here), but it's still possible to conduct all manner of exercises without the space typically required by free weights and barbells.
Rather than relying on a heavy and noisy weight stack, this clever home gym utilises a bespoke Bowflex Power Rod system that sees a pulley mechanism flex a series of metal rods. The thicker the rod, the higher the resistance. This puppy can deliver the equivalent resistance of a 95kg weight stack without the jerky inertia or risk of joint pain usually associated with free weights. However, the Bowflex technology doesn't limit the spread of exercises on offer, with numerous attachments and harnesses allowing for several motions to be carried out.
New to the system is an abdominal crunch shoulder harness, which allows the user to physically wear a harness that loads up the resistance for powerful six-pack toning. Other notable features include the three-position lower pulley and squat station that can enable users to carry out natural feeling squats for mega glutes, hamstrings and quad muscles. Also, those used to a classic, thumping and clunking weight stack will likely find the 'feel' of this system a little weedy, but if shaping up, as opposed to bulking up, is your priority, it could be ideal for you.
How to choose the best multi-gym for you
Multi-gyms cover several muscle-sculpting bases, with numerous levers, handles and pulley things used to tone and bulk up. As a result, they tend to take up a fair amount of room. They are also heavy, difficult to set up and can err on the really bloody expensive side, but for those with the space, patience and budget, they can literally be all you need to obtain that dream body.
The main considerations you must make are how much space you have to spare at home, how much time you have to assemble the thing, how heavy the weight stack should be to achieve your fitness goals, and how many different muscle groups you want the machine to cater for. Oh, and how fussy you are about the smoothness of the workout.
Insider tip: the more affordable units tend to use cheaper pulley systems, and, as a result, the resistance movement can sometimes feel a little jerky and unnatural. However, the best multi-gyms will offer everything from a lateral pull down to a weighted leg press and pretty much all in between, negating the need to visit a dank and sweaty gym ever again. Bonus.
Second insider tip: make sure your floors can cope with the amount of mass contained within some of the heavier multi-gyms. Repeatedly slamming a weights rack could lead to unexpected falls through the ceiling. Expanding your home gym? Have a look at the best treadmills, best exercise bikes, best rowing machine guides and get more informed about home cardio equipment than ever before.
FAQ
Are multi gyms worth it?
The main appeal of multi-gyms is that they allow for a full-body workout without buying a commercial gym's worth of equipment. That said, most people can build muscle, lose weight or improve cardio equipment using only bodyweight exercises, so multi-gyms aren't a good investment from that perspective.
But getting a multi-gym could be an excellent incentive to keep exercising, and we all know that adherence is the biggest hurdle people must overcome to get fit. A comparatively significant investment, such as buying a multi-gym, might just be the act that guilt you into showing up in your home gym day after day to get fitter.
Are home multi gyms effective?
Bodybuilders often prefer free weights (dumbbells, barbells) over machines in gyms as those provide a full range of motion. However, multi-gyms can offer an excellent way to train individual muscles, and they are handy for beginners. Plus, there are some exercises you can't do with free weights (e.g. lat pulldowns), only multi-gyms.
