The best home gyms offer a convenient solution to stay in shape without the hassle of commuting to the gym or waking up for those early-morning workout classes. With an all-in-one home gym setup, you can tailor workouts to fit your schedule, preferences and goals. We evaluated home gyms from the industry’s biggest brands, reviewing traditional equipment with a proven track record and newer machines that leverage technology to connect you with others. Our list includes the BowFlex PR3000 for its compact versatility, the TRX Pro3 for its budget-friendly price and the Tempo Studio for its online connectivity.
The best home gyms make it easier than ever to work up a sweat without going to the gym.
Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Tempo
Best Home Gym Overall: BowFlex PR3000
Best Budget Home Gym: TRX Pro3
Best Home Gym For Beginners: Total Gym Apex
Best Smart Home Gym: Tempo Studio Trainer
Best Portable Home Gym: Maxpro SmartConnect Cable Machine
Best Home Gym For Small Spaces: Tonal
Best All-In-One Home Gym: NordicTrack Fusion CST
Pros:
Compact design saves space
Costs hundreds (and even thousands) less than other complete gyms
Straightforward assembly
Cons:
BowFlex’s “resistance levels” don’t mirror actual free weights
210-pound limit may not be adequate for leg workouts or bench presses
At just $999, the BowFlex PR3000 home gym is a steal when you consider what it offers in comparison to other complete home gyms. Its versatile rod-based resistance system, for example, offers up to 210 pounds of resistance that’s upgradeable to 310 pounds if you need to add more weight. What’s more, all of the weight is controlled by a no-change cable pulley system that’s connected to the machine’s durable steel frame, so you won’t risk injury as you transition between exercises and degrees of resistance. Plus, it keeps things simple, ditching the fancy tech for tried-and-true durability to ensure your workouts are never impacted by, say, a bad internet connection or a lazy instructor. BowFlex even adds an instruction placard to the front of the machine that allows you to quickly reference workouts—a handy feature whether you’re warming up or new to working out.
Pros:
Great design for small spaces
Budget-friendly price
Over 100 different exercises challenge the entire body
Cons:
Need a reliable anchor point to engage in exercise
Slight learning curve
If you’re looking to add a gym setup to your home without breaking the bank, the TRX Pro3 Suspension Training System will get you there with money left over for some new training shoes. Offering full-body workouts anytime, anywhere, the setup is used by professional trainers, athletes and even Olympians.
Featuring three suspension anchors, durable rubber grip handles, padded foot cradles and an eight-week workout program, the design uses your own bodyweight as resistance. Sturdy straps anchored to a door, ceiling or any secure spot allow you to engage in a series of bodyweight exercises, from squats to rows to push-ups and beyond. Made from heavy-duty webbing, TRX straps support up to 350 pounds, which makes them suitable for most body types, and all of the equipment packs into a small carrying bag when it’s not in use. The setup isn’t as conventional as a weight bench or an all-in-one exercise machine, but it’s great for those who prefer to workout from home and don’t have the budget or the space for more complex equipment.
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Pros:
Incredibly easy to use
Promotes low-impact, fluid movements
Folds flat to save space
Cons:
Advanced athletes will find it limiting
If you’re dipping your toes into the world of home gyms, the Total Gym Apex serves as a great introduction. For starters, it’s incredibly easy to use, with 10 adjustable levels of resistance and over 80 exercises to choose from, so you’ll never get bored as you slowly build strength and stamina. Whether you’re targeting specific muscle groups or going for a total body workout, the machine has you covered. And because it promotes low-impact, fluid movements, you’ll break a sweat without breaking down your body. Even if you’ve never set foot in a gym before, you’ll feel right at home after spending a few hours with the machine.
With its compact design and easy foldability, it won’t take up precious space in your home when it’s not in use. And with quick, 15- to 20-minute workouts just 3 to 4 days a week, you’ll see results pretty quickly. From cardio to strength training to pilates, the Apex serves as a great way to kick off your fitness journey.
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Pros:
3D Tempo Visiontracks your form and reps
Compactdesign saves valuable space
Modern design with an HD touchscreen
Cons:
Expensive when it’s not on sale
Must purchase a membership separately for on-demand and live classes
Equipment only comes with a 3-year limited warranty
The Tempo Studio delivers plenty of the perks you’d enjoy at a “regular” gym, but all these perks can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. Choose from live and on-demand strength training classes led by expert trainers and receive feedback on your form and rep counts during your workout thanks to 3D sensors (for certain exercises). All that modern technology allows you to get in the zone without having to do math in the process.
An easel-style gym neatly packs away your weights but the structure is surprisingly mobile, so you can take your workout to another room if needed (but don’t get the wrong idea—even when it’s not stocked with weights, it’s still pretty heavy, so you probably won’t want to move it every day). And, while the base price of $2,495 isn’t cheap, there’s also a much less expensive Tempo Move that uses your phone and TV to achieve a similar workout for just $395.
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Pros:
Lightweight design with a small footprint
Up to 300 pounds of resistance
Included app tracks your activity
Cons:
Pricey
Included app isn’t as smooth as it could be
There’s an elephant in the room when it comes to conventional home gyms: they’re great when you’re at home, but they don’t really serve you when you’re on the move. That’s where the Maxpro SmartConnect Cable Machine steps in with its sleek, compact setup that fits snugly into a backpack and weighs less than 9 pounds. But don’t let its size fool you; with adjustable resistance ranging from 5 to 300 pounds, it’s easy to burn calories and build muscle on the go.
What’s more, the setup is Bluetooth connected to sync with the machine’s proprietary app. With on-board sensors tracking your workout, monitoring your progress and providing valuable data and analytics, it’s akin to having a coach in your pocket. Join instructor-led workouts or create your own, all while learning how to make the most of the machine. And when the workout ends, pack the setup into the included travel backpack to easily carry it to your next destination.
Pros:
Design mounts to the wall, saving on space
Tailored personal training helps you dial in every workout
If floorspace is at a premium in your home or apartment, Tonal definitely makes a case for the perfect home gym thanks to its minimalistic design. It secures firmly into your wall like a mirror without touching the ground, but it looks more like a piece of modern art when it’s not in use (and yes, it must be mounted on the wall, so that probably means you should consider other options if you’re renting).
Tonal contains all the weight you need through a pair of resistance-bearing arms that protrude from the sides of the device. It features thousands of live and on-demand workouts in a range of genres including HIIT, yoga, cardio and more, so there’s always something to keep you moving. And tonal also tracks your reps, sets and workouts over time, so you can see how much progress you’ve made without referring to your phone. The setup includes accessories like handles, a bar, rope and a weight bench.
NordicTrack
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NordicTrack Fusion CST
Pros:
20 resistance settings dial in every workout
Delivers strength and cardio exercises
HD touchscreen tablet modernizes the experience
Cons:
Pricey setup
Takes up a lot of space
The NordicTrack Fusion CST combines elements of more classic home gyms with smart features of the latest-and-greatest gyms to modernize your experience. The sleek machine features a pulley system with 20 resistance levels to help you push yourself, and a tablet screen lets you stream workouts, including ones where trainers can actually adjust your resistance to max out your workout.
This machine focuses on strength training and cardio, allowing you to check all your workout boxes at once. You’ll also receive a year’s worth of access to NordicTrack iFit, which allows you to stream your favorite workouts—and new ones are added daily to keep things fresh.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
In addition to our coverage of home gyms, the Forbes Vetted gear team has extensively reviewed other essential pieces of fitness equipment, including weight benches and weightlifting shoes, and we’ve even outlined how to build a home gym from scratch that meets your needs.
Gear editor Cam Vigliotta, who oversees this story, has a background in kinesiology and uses his education in biomechanics when reviewing fitness product recommendations. Likewise, Forbes Vetted contributor Leoni Jesner, who co-authored this piece, holds qualifications as an ACE CPT, Level 3 mat Pilates instructor and nutrition coach.
We have experience with many of the fitness brands featured in this story, including Bowflex, TRX, Tempo and NordicTrack.
This story is regularly revised to ensure all the information is accurate and each recommendation is still the best available on the market. It was last updated in May 2024.
How We Chose The Best Home Gyms
To find the best home gyms, we sought out reputable brands we have experience with, like NordicTrack, Bowflex and Tempo.
To narrow down the best home gyms, we delved into the specs that matter most for these all-in-one machines, assessing factors like resistance levels, types of workouts offered, safety measures, dimensions and additional features.
We then looked into the revies provided by real users who invested in these home gyms, poring over insights and opinions that paint a clearer picture of how these machines perform over time.
The final selections were reviewed by gear editor and fitness expert Cam Vigliotta, who lent his fitness background to this guide.
We aimed to choose a variety of home gym options to cater to different fitness levels, budgets and space constraints.
What To Consider When Shopping For A Home Gym
Space
Start by measuring the space you’d like to use to ensure there’s enough room for fitness equipment. Keep in mind that some home gyms fold away to save space, while others are permanent fixtures that shouldn’t be disassembled.
Budget
Shop for a home gym that falls within your budget. As nice as it may be to splurge on a piece of high-end equipment, you can often get by with less. Remember to consider not only the upfront costs but also any potential maintenance or subscription fees—many instructor-based home gyms require a monthly subscription to access contnet.
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Goals
Consider your fitness objectives, whether it’s strength training, cardio, flexibility or a combination of all three. Different equipment caters to different fitness goals, and choosing a piece of equipment that aligns with your goals will make it easier to reach them.
Types Of Exercise
Reflect on the types of exercises you enjoy or want to incorporate into your workout routine, as this will help you prioritize specific equipment like weightlifting, cardio machines or yoga accessories.
The beauty of a standing abs workout is that you do not need a mat, much space, or to get down on the ground for any of the exercises. That makes it easy to fit into a busy day, whether you are working out at home, short on space, or prefer to stay off the floor altogether.
None of that means it is easier or delivers fewer results. Pilates instructor and Balance Body Educator Portia Page built this five-move, all-standing core workout to show that you can still challenge your abs effectively without a mat or traditional floor exercises.
Her routine focuses on strength, rotation, balance and power, training the core in an upright position that mirrors how it works in everyday movement and exercise. To get the most out of the workout, having a handle on how to switch your core on can make a real difference.
What is the workout?
1. Standing “Hollow” Scoop + Reach + Deep Squat
Stand tall, feet hip-width, knees soft.
Exhale and scoop your abs up and in (think: ribs to hips, belly hollow).
Keeping the scoop, reach your arms overhead, maintaining the scoop.
Keeping the arms up, bend your knees and sit back & down into a deep, low squat
Straighten legs, lower arms and lift heels into a balance
Repeat, moving slowly down and up
2. High Knee Twist with Extension
Lift your right knee to hip height slowly.
Rotate your ribs toward (not down to) the lifted knee.
Lower leg and extend behind while rotating & extending in the opposite direction.
Repeat 5-10x on one side, repeat the same amount on the other.
Make it harder: Lift the knee higher than hip height and/or hold arms overhead.
3. Lateral Side Crunch
Stand tall, hands behind your head.
Shift weight to one leg.
Lift the opposite leg out to the side.
Pull your ribs toward your lifted hip like a side crunch.
Lower leg and crunch to the other side.
Repeat 5-10 times on each side.
Make it harder: Keep the leg lifted the whole interval. Your obliques will file a complaint!
4. Woodchop Squat & Twist
Bring your hands together over your right shoulder.
Bend the knees slightly, then powerfully chop down toward the left hip.
Pause at the bottom, stop the momentum, then return slowly to start.
Repeat 5-10 times on each side.
5. Single-Leg Hover Hold with Rotation
Stand tall with arms stretched to the side, shift weight to the left foot.
Lift right knee to hip height.
Extend the right leg straight forward, creating an upside-down L-shape while rotating the upper body to the right, and bend the right knee.
Straighten the standing leg and twist back to center.
Repeat 5-10 times. Switch legs.
What’s so good about standing abs workouts?
Standing ab exercises challenge the core in a more upright, everyday way than floor-based exercises do. Instead of working from a fixed position on a mat, you are asking your body to remain stable while standing, moving and balancing, which naturally brings more of the core into play.
Pilates instructor Page explains that this routine works the core through rotation, anti-rotation and lateral stability, the types of strength you use when walking, lifting, or changing direction. Because you are on your feet, balance becomes part of the challenge too, and even small wobbles force the deeper muscles to switch on.
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She also includes elements of controlled power and standing hollow work, which asks the core to absorb and redirect force rather than just hold tension. The result is a stronger, more responsive midsection, without the need for any planks or crunches.
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Fitness and health apps have been promising “smart coaches” and “personalised training plans” for years. But, to date, most programmes have been like online shopping recommendations, with exercises broadly matching your demographic profile and performance level.
However, the rapid advances in real-time image recognition, generative AI and natural language processing are bringing an AI coach worthy of the name within our grasp. And not just for high-tech gyms like Lumin, but also for people working out at home or in the park. Peloton, for example, films how you exercise and provides feedback in real time. Google has also announced AI-powered personalised fitness and health advice for its Fitbit range.
HYROX pro athlete Jake Dearden putting in the work on an indoor bike
Market analysts think the AI fitness market could be worth close to $35b USD by 2030. But how close are we to that future? Which company is training up the supertrainer? And how will that change the way we exercise, sweat and track our progress? And what do we need to know about this new world?
Harnessing AI’s potential to make personalised training available to all
Most fitness apps give generic exercise suggestions
Confidence Udegbue has the perfect CV for designing an AI coach. The Vice President of Product at fitness app Freeletics studied electrical and computer engineering and teaches fitness classes in his free time. His broad shoulders, muscular biceps and infectious spirit are a dead giveaway: this guy knows what he’s talking about.
“In the gym, I can see immediately when someone I’m teaching is making a mistake,” says Udegbue. “But that expertise is hard to scale.” Freeletics is trying to solve that problem with AI. The app has been using a predictive algorithm since 2019 to suggest workouts based on demographic data and self-assessed fitness levels. This means that a 39-year-old man who has been training for two years and is at level 63 in the app won’t receive the same instructions as a 25-year-old beginner.
Freeletics uses AI-based motion analysis powered by models like those from Google’s MediaPipe framework, which includes BlazePose – the successor to the earlier PoseNet model. The models provide a skeletal muscle database that can replicate all types of exercises, for which Freeletics sports scientists then define the movements. That way, the system can assess whether that squat you just did went low enough.
Can an AI coach give useful real-time workout feedback?
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World-class sabre fencer Olga Kharlan checks her phone
In 2024, Freeletics introduced the Coach+ feature – an AI-powered chatbot with Freeletics expertise and access to anonymised data from over 59m user journeys. Users can ask the virtual coach questions like, “How can I build muscle mass?” or “I feel weak – how can I motivate myself?”
Freeletics is currently testing a version that will allow the app to see you work out. As of April, users have been able to record themselves exercising on their smartphones. “AI counts the reps and gives direct feedback,” Udegbue says. That is particularly helpful because even experienced athletes do not always perform pistol squats or burpees correctly.
A personal coach was long the preserve of Hollywood actors, top models and CEOs – a highly competent service provider, always available whenever a slot opened up in their client’s busy schedule. They know their clients’ allergies, preferences and weak spots. They always know how to set the pace. Sometimes they’re pushy, sometimes they go easy. They are a mix of therapist, personal assistant and best friend – open 24/7, all major credit cards accepted.
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In the soccer world, the manager is often called “boss” – a figure of respect who takes care of the players both on and off the field. A good coach can tell when something is off in a movement – when the person’s mind is elsewhere, or they’re lacking energy. Anyone who has had that person in their life knows that a good coach is worth their weight in gold, which is why there are coaches for everything – careers, relationships, nutrition – and why the idea of a personalised fitness coach is so appealing.
AI has no body or talent. It doesn’t know what it feels like for sweat to run down the skin or for muscles to cramp or for adrenaline to rush through the veins. But it does recognise patterns and make predictions that we humans can use increasingly often and, in the best-case scenario, find out more about ourselves in the process.
Mirrors show you how you see yourself. But the Magic AI Mirror promises that you will like what you see if you follow the exercises and tips on the reflective screen. Behind the glass surface is an AI coach who steers your workouts in real time.
Growl goes even deeper into movement detection. The start-up has developed an exercise boxing bag that captures every movement with 3D cameras and Lidar (light detection and ranging) technology. AI corrects your posture or encourages you when your energy decreases.
Whoop’s fitness trackers combine biometric data with generative AI. If you’re wondering when you got your best sleep, you’ll get a precise answer: “On July 14, because the allergy season was over and you didn’t drink alcohol.” You can chat with your body.
Freeletics is also banking on predictive AI. “Soon the system will recognise that user X has had an increased resting heart rate for days, so I won’t suggest high-intensity exercises,” says Udegbue.
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The vision all companies are working on is a multimodal coach: AI that unlocks information – biometrics, genetics, video, training history – and conveys it intuitively to the user. But a perfect coach is more than just an algorithm. Researchers are working on reinforcement learning systems that set individual step goals that are challenging but achievable, and adapt whenever progress has been made.
“We will not be able to deliver on the promise of absolute personalisation for the mass market,” Eskofier says. But before you lose hope, you should know what he means by personalisation.
His laboratory supports, among other people, Sebastian Steudtner, the big wave surfer and world record holder. To do this, they measured his body in an MRI scanner, carried out psychological assessments, calculated strength curves and even fitted his surfboard and wetsuit with sensors.
Eskofier’s team created Steudtner’s digital twin. By the time the project concluded in May 2025, their AI system could already discuss with a real coach what angle Steudtner should surf a 100-foot wave at, and whether he’d be strong enough to do it.
The one thing AI will never change in fitness training
No equipment, no excuses – embrace the simplicity of pure movement
“We can’t offer that service to millions of people,” Eskofier says. “But these systems can still create real added value.” He believes AI coaches are a good base: “AI can take over data processing and routine personalisation, while real coaches can focus on mentoring.”
AI coaches are getting smarter all the time, too, which is why it’s important to know what they can and can’t do. Limited data sets can lead to bias if too few women or people of below-average height are represented in the data.
“No matter how good the technology gets, one thing will never change,” says Udegbue. “A coach can only make you better if you want to be better yourself, too.” It’s all in your hands.
Credit: René Ramos/Lifehacker/ZaZa studio/Adobe Stock/Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment/Vadym Kalitnyk/iStock/Getty Images
I have a love-hate relationship with the smartwatch on my wrist. This relationship is no doubt shaped by the fact that I write about fitness tech for a living, but I know I’m not alone in succumbing to an obsession with numbers from my wearables. Did I hit 10,000 steps? What’s my resting heart rate today? Is my sleep score better than yesterday’s? When did progressive overload turn into screen time overload, too?
The fitness tech boom is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon—and with it, we consume a constant stream of promises that this data will make us healthier, stronger, and faster. With the sheer amount of health insights potentially available to us at any time, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. I’ve watched my least health-anxious friends become consumed by metrics they’d never heard of two years ago. They’re tracking bone density trends, obsessing over cortisol levels, panicking about stress scores that fluctuate for reasons no algorithm can fully explain. I can feel my fitness trackers pull me away from genuine wellness and into a mental health disaster. The good news: When I look up from my screens and start talking to real people, I see I’m not alone in wanting to unplug and push back against the overly quantified self.
A growing anti-tech fitness movement
When I put out a call on Instagram asking people about their relationship with posting workout data and fitness content, I received hundreds of responses from people exhausted by the performance of fitness. Even if your only audience is your own reflection, simply owning a wearable can create a real barrier between feeling good about your body and your fitness journey. Did I work out enough today? Will my friends see that I skipped a workout? Should I push through injury to maintain my streak?
For these reasons, celebrity trainer Lauren Kleban says she doesn’t like to rely on wearables at all. “Counting steps or calories can quickly spiral into a bit of an obsession,” says Kleban, and that “takes the joy out of movement and away from learning what’s truly best for us.” She says her clients want to focus on their mind and body connection, now more than ever. There’s a real, growing desire to rebuild a sense of intuition that doesn’t depend on feedback from a watch.
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Similarly, Marshall Weber, a certified personal trainer and owner of Jack City Fitness, says that he’s “definitely been surprised by the growing push towards unplugged fitness,” but that he “totally gets it.” Weber says he’s had clients express feeling “overwhelmed with their Fitbit or Apple Watch micromanaging their training.” When every workout becomes about numbers and keeping up with an average, it’s all too easy to lose touch with your body. “The anti-tech movement is about taking back that personal connection,” Weber says. After all, when was the last time you finished a workout and didn’t immediately look at your stats, but instead just noticed how you felt?
This is the paradox at the heart of fitness technology. Tools designed to help us understand our bodies have created a new kind of illiteracy. Maybe you can tell me why you’re aiming for Zone 2 workouts, but can’t actually recognize what that effort feels like without a screen telling you. In a sense, you might be outsourcing your own intuition to algorithms.
If nothing else, the data risks are real. (Because if you think you own all your health data, think again.) Every heart rate spike, every missed workout, every late-night stress indicator gets recorded, stored, and potentially shared. Still, for me, the more insidious risk is psychological: the erosion of our ability to know ourselves without consulting a device first.
What do you think so far?
How to unplug and exercise intuitively
So what does unplugged fitness actually look like in practice? It’s not about rejecting all technology or pretending GPS watches and heart rate monitors don’t have value—I promise. Look, I crave data and answers as much as—and maybe more than—the average gym-goer. I’m simply not woo-woo enough to ditch my Garmin altogether.
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Instead, I argue for re-establishing a hierarchy in which technology serves your training, not the other way around. “Sometimes, the best performance boost is just learning to listen to what your body is saying and feeling,” says Weber. But what does “listening to your body” actually look like?
If you’re like me, and need to rebuild a connection with your body from the ground-up, try these approaches:
Start with tech-free workouts. Designate certain runs, yoga sessions, or strength workouts as completely unplugged. No watch, no phone, no tracking. Notice what changes when there’s no device to check.
Relearn your body’s signals. Can you gauge your effort level without looking at a heart rate monitor? Do you actually know what “recovery pace” feels like for you, or are you just matching a number? Practice assessing fatigue, energy, soreness, and readiness without checking your watch.
Replace metrics with sensory awareness. Instead of tracking pace, notice your breathing pattern. Instead of counting calories burned, pay attention to how your muscles feel. Instead of obsessing over sleep scores, ask yourself a simple question in the morning: how do I actually feel?
Set goals that can’t be gamified. Rather than chasing step counts or streak days, aim for qualitative improvements. Can you hold a plank with better form? Does that hill feel easier than last month? Are you enjoying your workouts more? These are the markers of real progress.
Create tech boundaries. Maybe you use your GPS watch for long runs but leave it home for everything else. Perhaps you track workouts but delete the social features. Find the minimum effective dose of technology that serves your goals without dominating your headspace.
Reconnect with in-person community. The loss of shared gym culture—people actually talking to each other instead of staying plugged into individual screens—represents more than just nostalgia. There’s real value in working out alongside others, in having conversations about training instead of just comparing data, in building knowledge through shared experience rather than algorithm-driven insights.
The bottom line
Unplugging is easier said than done, but you don’t need to go cold turkey. Maybe in the new year, you can set “body literacy” as a worthwhile resolution. At the end of the day, exercise should add to your life, not become another source of performance anxiety. It should be energizing, not exhausting—and I don’t just mean physically. The never-ending irony of modern fitness culture is that in our pursuit of optimal health, we keep inventing new forms of stress and anxiety. When all forms of wellness come with trackable metrics and social pressure, I think we’ve fundamentally missed the point.
