Everlast Plastic Speed Rope Review

I’ve been a huge fan of boxing for as long as I can remember and since the moment I started trying to figure out exactly how to get myself in the best possible shape, the training style and tools of old school boxers has been a huge part of my regimen.  I make regular use of a medicine ball; do plenty of bodyweight exercise; hit heavy bags, speed bags and double ended bags and of course I use a jump rope.

A jump rope is a simple piece of equipment that you can take with you wherever you go, use just about anywhere you are and that is affordable enough for just about anyone to own without breaking their budget.  This awesome workout tool improves coordination, quickness, body awareness and it is one of the absolute best methods for improving conditioning and torching away excess body fat.

A lot of guys will tell you that if you want a rope that will hold up that you should probably go with leather and while I’m a fan of leather ropes, I’ve found a more economical version that seems to hold up just as well.  The Everlast Plastic Speed Rope has been in my regular rotation for well over a year now and has been used on a wide variety of surfaces without failing me yet.

During the spring and summer I’ve taken this rope to the great outdoors and used it on grass, dirt, concrete and asphalt and inside of my home it’s been put to the test on carpet, tile and hardwood and it still seems as though it’s in nearly the same condition it was when I took it out of the package (although a bit dirtier).  This rope has provided me with hour after hour of wickedly intense cardio and conditioning workouts for a total cost of less than ten dollars, which makes it an astoundingly good choice for fitness freaks that want to get the most out of their home gym without spending a whole lot of money.

There seem to be plenty of “world class” or “professional quality” jump ropes hitting the scene over the course of the last few years but from my personal experience you certainly don’t need to spend thirty or forty dollars on a professional quality rope in order to get a good workout.  If you want an excellent rope for a reasonable price, pick up an Everlast Plastic Speed Rope.

Stamina InMotion T900 Treadmill Review

Just like with biking, if I’m going to be doing some walking or running I very much prefer it to be in the great outdoors.  I like to see what’s going on in the world, to get the fresh air and to actually feel the breeze as I’m getting a workout in.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate at the times when we would like her to and in those instances it’s much better to bring your workout indoors than to forego it.

I’ve used a number of different treadmills with a number of different features in my day and I’ve really enjoyed the experience of some.  What I haven’t always been a big fan of on some of the treadmills that I’ve tried is the price.  Many of the top units with the best features can easily cost into the thousands of dollars and that can be well out of the price range for many people, especially for a piece of equipment that will be primarily used for free workouts that can’t be performed due only to the weather.

It’s easy to find a decent treadmill for seven or eight hundred dollars, but if you want a more affordable piece of equipment you’ll most likely have to invest in a manual model.  While there are manual treadmills out there that can provide a perfectly adequate walking workout, finding one that is built well and that will hold up to regular workouts can be a bit of a challenge.

Though I was admittedly a bit skeptical of a treadmill that cost under $150, I honestly have some good things to say about the InMotion T900 treadmill from Stamina.  Stamina produces a number of affordable pieces of equipment that are pretty useful and at least of reasonable quality, so that’s exactly what I expected from this particular unit – a middle of the road manual that wouldn’t necessarily impress me or disappoint me.  What I found was a manual that was very easy to put together, very easy to store and actually pretty sturdy.

I put the T900 through a number of workouts of different lengths and intensities and found it to have very smooth resistance and a sturdy enough feel that I would even feel comfortable recommending it for regular use.  I would caution that this unit would be best used for walking and not as the primary training tool for an avid or competitive runner.   Exceedingly tall walkers might have a bit of issue with stride length on this unit as well, but that is pretty much par for the course on manual treadmills that fold down for easy storage.

If you are looking for a very affordable piece of equipment that will allow you to participate in every single scheduled walking workout regardless of the weather outside, the T900 manual treadmill from Stamina would certainly be a viable option.  Unfortunately if you are looking for a runner’s treadmill with all the bells and whistles, you’ll probably have to be willing to spend quite a bit more than the T900 would cost you.

SandBell Review

I’m a huge fan of sand bags, medicine balls, kettlebells and functional grip training tools so it should probably seem pretty obvious that I would fall in love with a piece of equipment that combined the attributes of those individual pieces of equipment.

The highly innovative folks at HyperWear, who make an astonishingly good weighted vest by the way, have created the SandBell which is a piece (or pieces) of equipment that effectively serve the purpose of several other functional fitness tools.  I was honestly a bit skeptical prior to actually getting my hands on a few of these to try (thanks Big John!), but very surprised when I began putting them through the paces of a workout.

These highly durable neoprene disks can be filled with sand to create super versatile training tools that weigh from as little as two pounds up to as much as fifty pounds.  I used these for swings, presses, tosses, slams and more and after a few very grueling workouts they didn’t seem any worse for wear at all.

While I don’t necessarily think I’d ever trade in my kettlebells or dumbbells for a full set of SandBells I honestly did get one heck of a workout from the borrowed SandBells and would most certainly invest in a full set of my own for my gym.  Thanks to my buddy Jeff I’m a huge fan of grip specific training and found the SandBells to work exceptionally well for grabs, pinches and times holds for working crushing grip.

In addition to the fact that the SandBells are very versatile they are also super affordable.  You purchase the SandBells empty and fill them with your own sand from the home improvement center (which costs just a few dollars for a fifty pound bag) so you don’t have to pay the outrageous shipping cost you would for heavy dumbbells and kettlebells.

If you’re looking for a fun and affordable training tool that is great for building functional strength and use in intense conditioning workouts, I definitely recommend SandBells from HyperWear.

Bongo Board Review

As much as I talk about biking and am infatuated with riding, I’m also a huge fan of another wheeled conveyance – the skateboard.  Though I wouldn’t say that I ever managed anything outrageously impressive on my board, I always did love and still do love to ride.  So how could I not want to check out and review a piece of home gym equipment that looked exactly like a skateboard deck?

Balance boards have been around for quite a while but have probably been overlooked by most serious trainees due to the simple fact that they like more like a toy than a piece of equipment.  I can assure you that one brief session on a balance board of decent quality will quickly dispel that misconception though.  A good balance board is a very versatile tool that can quickly help to improve reaction time, coordination and really help to develop core strength.

I’ve tried a number of different balance boards, balls, pods and other implements and though I’ve certainly had a decent time and gotten a good workout on quite a few, the Bongo Board was far and away my favorite.  These boards are very well constructed and feel as though they would probably last a lifetime under regular use.

These boards are super easy to transport and can be used just about anywhere to provide a quick and intense workout that will most definitely improve overall health and sports performance.  Don’t feel as though you’ll be able to jump right on and master this piece of equipment simply because it is reminiscent of a toy you had as a teenager, this is one serious training tool that can give even moderately experienced trainees a bit of trouble at the outset.

If you are looking for a fun, unique and versatile training tool that will begin to improve your reflexes and coordination almost immediately or just another fun way to blast your core as you work hard to achieve those six pack abs, the Bongo Board will be a very welcome addition to your home gym.

Vision Fitness R2050 Review

Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of upright exercise bikes than I am of recumbent bikes.  It could be because I’ve been riding bikes as a mode of transportation for more than three decades and I just like that fact that I can mimic that feel while I’m working out indoors. 

That being said I know that there are a ton of folks out there that consider recumbent bikes much more comfortable than uprights, and for those folks that makes a recumbent a much better option in terms of home gym equipment.  After all, you certainly aren’t going to regularly use a piece of equipment that you don’t really enjoy being on.

Generally speaking, a good recumbent will cost you more than an upright in most cases – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t find a great recumbent to fit your budget.  In fact, the Vision Fitness R2050 is an incredible piece of equipment that can be had for under $1000.

I’ve been on both the R2050 and R1500 semi-recumbent bikes from Vision and though I thought both were top notch I did find the R2050 a bit more comfortable for longer rides.  This bike is rock solid, even when cruising at warp speeds, and as far as indoor cardio equipment goes it is incredibly quiet.  The resistance on this bike from Vision Fitness is super smooth and the console is user friendly enough for even those that aren’t overly friendly with the latest technology.

Vision gives you the option of “building” your own bike by choosing one of three consoles.  Only the model with the most basic console comes in at under a grand, but the “simple” console as they call it should have more than enough features to satisfy most people.  You get more than a dozen different programmed workout options plus plenty of feedback including heart rate, distance travelled, calories burned and more from the least expensive version of the R2050.

If you think a thousand dollars is a bit too much to spend on a single piece of equipment, but this beautiful recumbent is backed by a lifetime frame and magnetic brake warranty.  Knowing that you’ll probably never have to buy another bike, even if you are going to use it every day, makes justifying a price tag of a thousand dollars a whole lot easier.  In all seriousness, this is a great bike and despite the fact that it is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment we’ve reviewed thus far, it is definitely a good value and would make an excellent addition to your home gym.

Kinetic by Kurt Cyclone Review

I have about a half a dozen different bikes at any given time.  I trash pick them, by them at yard sales or they get handed down from folks who know I ride and fell as though they have no use for them in their current condition.  At nights and on weekends I patch tubes, replace chains and make other minor adjustments in order to get them road ready and, generally speaking, whatever type of bike I happen to be riding is just about my favorite form of transportation.

Because I enjoy hitting the open road atop my mountain bike, cruiser, old school ten speed or BMX two wheeled ride I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the heavy rains or brutally cold winters that we go through in my neck of the woods.  I don’t, however, allow the weather to keep me from getting on my bike and taking a ride – if the weather isn’t right I just take the ride inside.

I’ve used a bunch of different indoor trainers in my day, some good and some not so good.  I was always a big fan of the feel of rollers for indoor training, but in terms of value and safety I feel that there are probably far better selections for most people looking for a good indoor ride.  I’m currently using a Kinetic by Kurt Cyclone for indoor rides since I’ve brought a portion of my gym up from the basement and I honestly don’t have a bad thing to say about it.

The Kinetic by Kurt Cyclone is a rock solid indoor trainer that seriously feels as though it could stand up to an eternity of use and abuse.  Set up is a breeze for just about any bike, and believe me I’ve tried a few, and because this is a wind trainer there are infinite levels of resistance.

Of course, due to the fact that you’re getting your resistance from a fan this trainer isn’t quite as quiet as fluid or magnetic resistance trainers, but because I really enjoy the experience of riding outside I don’t really mind the additional noise – in fact I kind of enjoy it.  I’ve never had a ride outside where I was in complete silence so I don’t really understand the necessity for complete and total silence when I’m riding inside, especially when it cost substantially more to achieve.

If you want a smooth and solid ride that will most definitely stand the test of time when it comes the catching an indoor workout, the Cyclone from Kinetic by Kurt is an absolute steal at under $200 and most definitely recommended.

Ultimate Body Press Dip Stand Review

Next to six pack abs big arms is probably the most sought after trait in just about any gym.  The problem most people have when it comes to actually achieving this goal is that they put virtually all of their focus on bicep isolation movements like concentration curls.  If you want bigger arms you’ve got to put a good deal of focus on the triceps and you’ve got to use hard hitting, compound movements – movements like dips. 

If you wanted to do dips at home back in the day you were pretty much relegated to doing bench dips or chair dips unless you wanted to spend a load of money on a gym quality dip stand.  Now there are a number of very versatile and reasonably priced dip machines specifically made for the home gym and the best of the bunch in terms of function and value in the Ultimate Body Press.

First and foremost you don’t need a ton of tools to put this stand together, in fact you don’t really need anything at all in order to get it fully assembled and ready to use.  Assembly takes all of a few minutes, even for those of us who aren’t overly mechanically inclined.  You also don’t need a ton of space to use the Ultimate Body Press.  If you’ve got enough floor space in your home or apartment for a bean bag chair, you’ve got enough room to set up and use this valuable training tool.

The Ultimate Body Press feels very solid during use as well.  Though I’m far from a giant I am a big fan of weighted dips for chest and triceps training and I’ve had my 170ish pound frame along with an extra 50+ pounds and saw no issue of stability what so ever. 

Unlike a lot of the other dip stands available today, this stand has much more of an open construction that makes it quite a bit more versatile.  Instead of just offering a one dimensional workout, you can use the Ultimate Body Press to do bodyweight rows as well.  If you don’t currently have access to a pull up bar, the Ultimate Body Press can help you get a more complete upper body workout than that of a more traditional dip stand by allowing you to work your back and biceps in addition to chest and triceps.

In short, this is a versatile and solid piece of equipment and would most definitely be an asset to any home gym.

Title Double Handle Medicine Ball Review

Medicine balls are, and have always been, one of my very favorite pieces of equipment.  I still have the very first medicine ball I ever purchased, an old Everlast leather ball which is now almost entirely held together with duct tape.  Though that old Everlast ball is more of a gym decoration now than anything else, I still regularly use a medicine ball in my training – my ball of choice now, a Title Double Handle Medicine Ball.

Title is a well known and respected name in the boxing world and home to a veritable smorgasbord of high quality strength, conditioning and fitness equipment for both combat athletes and regular Joes just looking to get in better shape.  I’ve purchased a number of decent quality training implements from this superstore, but I can honestly say that my favorite and most used piece is the 15lb Double Handle Medicine Ball.

I use this ball in the same way as you would a traditional medicine ball – for exercises like tosses, twists, slams, thrusts and countless others, but I also make use of the handles for exercise like one handed swings, curls and presses.  Fifteen pounds may not sound like a lot of weight, but when you are performing high rep circuits of various swings and presses it can certainly start to feel like a lot in a relatively short period of time.

I’ve used my Title Double Handle Medicine Ball in dozens and dozens (probably hundreds) of workouts and it has been slammed more times than I can count but it keeps coming back for more.  This is most definitely a worthwhile tool for anyone that is looking to build explosive strength, develop a rock solid core or dramatically improve their conditioning – and that is saying a lot for a piece of equipment that will only cost you around forty bucks.

Lifeline USA Power Wheel Review

I’m well aware that the vast majority of folks surfing the web for fitness information have the goal of carving out a sexy set of washboard abs.  That’s why I want to preface this review with a bit of pertinent information – while this may be one of the very best tools for completely blasting every single muscle of your core, simply using it alone and completely neglecting other types of movement and exercise or completely neglecting your diet will most likely not result in you seeing those much desired abs.  Despite what some advertisements promise, attaining a six pack takes more than just “five minutes a day.”

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s actually talk about the Power Wheel!  This ab roller from Lifeline USA, who just so happens to be a company that offers a number of incredible pieces of equipment, is far and away the single best ab roller on the market.  The Power Wheel is incredibly sturdy, is ultra smooth and, unlike a good deal of other wheels out there, actually works on just about any surface.

In addition to just being a much better quality piece of equipment than just about any other ab wheel out there, the Power Wheel also has versatility on its side.  With the Power Wheel you not only have access to the comfortable handles, you can also opt to secure your feet to the pedals instead in order to change things up and work your core from an entirely different angle.

If you are looking for a unique and highly effective way to get a super intense core workout in as little time as possible, I would definitely recommend the Power Wheel from Lifeline USA before any other ab wheel or fancy ab machine out there.

Mir Weighted Vest Review

I had tried a number of different weighted vests and was convinced that there simply wasn’t a unit out there that was both comfortable to wear and capable of delivering a safe and effective method of hands free resistance.  Sure I had tried vests that were awesome for adding weight to basic movements like pushups, squats and pull ups without any problems, but most didn’t really perform as well as I would have liked during explosive movements.

The majority of low end vests I had tried didn’t fit well, didn’t adjust easily and seemed to bounce around like a son of a gun even when I had the fasteners adjusted to a borderline uncomfortably tight level.  It wasn’t until I strapped on the Pro Vest from Mir that I really came to the conclusion just how versatile and effective a weighted vest could be to a home gym.

Since then I’ve tried a number of vests (mostly more expensive, high end models like those from Mir) that I enjoyed using and would definitely be willing to recommend, but Mir is the brand that I own and use with regularity in my workouts.

Mir has an enormous variety of models to choose from to suit just about any purpose or person imaginable, but every different model shares one common attribute – exceedingly high quality.  The vests from Mir are easy to adjust, easy to get on and off, super comfortable and highly durable.  I’ve used both the Mir Short and Pro models with great success in a wide variety of movements and despite having been used and abused over and over, both are still in excellent condition and show no signs of failing any time soon.

There is no doubt that you could find a cheaper weighted vest out there, but a weighted vest is one instance where you don’t necessarily want to sacrifice quality to save just a few bucks.  Even a cheap weighted vest can set you back a bit so you are much better off putting off your purchase for a few extra weeks in order to get a high quality Mir vest that will last much longer and be able to effectively deliver much more intense (and comfortable) workouts.

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar Review

If you are planning on putting together a complete home gym, a good place to do pull ups is not only a nice addition it’s practically an essential addition.  There are plenty of different options available when it comes to pull up bars, but if you live in a small home or apartment, a door mounted unit will probably the most convenient for your situation.

Even after slimming down the options and focusing on portable door mounted units, there are still quite a few to choose from.  I ultimately opted to review Iron Gym’s version of this incredibly versatile workout tool because of one reason – it’s affordable.  You can do pretty much everything on the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar that you can on others that cost upwards of fifty dollars, but you can find this unit on Amazon for around $20.

Once assembled, this bar can literally be “installed” in seconds to instantly provide you with a safe and sturdy place to do pull ups, chin ups, knee raises and hanging leg raises then it can just as quickly be moved to the floor to give you a set of convenient push up handles.  The unit itself is very sturdy, so if your door frame is capable of holding your weight through a set of pull ups or chin ups you should have no problem at all getting an awesome upper body workout with the Iron Gym pull up bar.

Building a fully functional home gym might take you a little time, but this one versatile and affordable addition can help you to effectively target areas of your body that would have a bit of trouble working well with other pieces of equipment.  If you don’t have the space required to set up a free standing pull up unit or complete power rack with a pull up bar or you don’t want to go through the hassle of affixing a permanent pull up unit to a wall in your home, the Iron Gym pull up bar gives you a super affordable and very effective alternative for getting a great upper body and core workout.

David Horne’s Vulcan Hand Gripper – An Essential Tool for Building Grip Strength

This is a guest post by Bestcovery.com fitness equipment expert and grip strength training enthusiast Jeff Wilson.

Up until Just a few short years ago the only experience I had with grip specific training involved playing around with some plastic handled hand grippers that you can buy at most sporting goods stores.  Even among the heartiest of these grippers, there wasn’t a whole lot of resistance and I didn’t see much way that using them on a regular basis would be of much benefit to my strength training at all.

I didn’t give a whole lot of thought to grip training beyond those cheap plastic grippers until I accidentally stumbled upon the Diesel Crew website and subsequently the GripBoard grip strength forum.  It was through those two websites that I was introduced to “real” hand grippers like the Captains of Crush grippers from IronMind.  After finding this devoted group of individuals and high quality training equipment, grip specific training became somewhat of an addiction for me.

After loading up on dozens of CoCs, BBs, RBs and HGs I thought I’d never need another tool to build grip strength – and I was probably right, then I stumbled upon David Horne’s website.  Horne is an arm wrestling and grip strength legend and he’d developed what appeared to be the ultimate tool for developing crush strength – the Vulcan Hand Gripper.

The Vulcan was a bit more expensive than the torsion grippers that I’d been using, but it had a unique advantage over them as well – it was completely adjustable.  Horne’s Vulcan effectively replaced every single gripper that I had in my collection, plus added dozens of additional levels of resistance that I didn’t have, allowing me to experiment with maximum effort single rep training or with high volume, high rep training all with the very same piece of equipment.

Horne’s Vulcan is rock solid and very well built and after hundreds of workouts and thousands of reps it is still every bit as fluid and functional as the day it arrived at my door.  Of course, I still have an affinity for torsion grippers and still use them on a regular basis, but I can honestly say that if I had found David Horne’s Vulcan before I went on my torsion gripper shopping spree I’d have far less grip equipment to store but I believe that I’d be every bit as strong in the grip department.

If you are into grip training and need a highly versatile tool or if you are planning on getting into grip training and want to start out at the top of the food chain in terms of equipment – invest in this gripper, you will not be disappointed.

Kettler Power Stepper Review

When I hear the name Kettler I automatically think of high end rowers – and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of working out on a Kettler rower, you should be fully aware why.  I was admittedly a bit skeptical prior to getting on the Kettler Power Stepper, but this piece of equipment proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this German manufacturer is far from one dimensional.

The first thing I noticed about the Kettler Power Stepper was its size, or lack there of.  This unit seems quite a bit smaller than most other units in the same price range, but the smaller frame size doesn’t seem to do a thing to the structural integrity.  As I said before, I’m far from a big dude, but I’ve been on countless pieces of exercise equipment in my day and I can tell when one feels as though it won’t hold up to regular abuse and this is certainly not the case with the Power Stepper.  Even when I was moving at a pretty good clip I didn’t feel as though there was ever an issue with how this unit from Kettler would hold up.  The smaller frame size can be a big benefit for those of you that live in smaller apartments or that want to keep the size of your home gym under control.

As far as versatility goes, the Power Stepper has got that going for it as well.  There are twelve different levels of resistance to choose from so just about any body can find a perfect starting point for their fitness journey and still have room to grow.  The hydraulics seem super smooth through every level and the computer console gives you just about all the features you would expect from a unit in this price range.

And that brings us to the very important question of price…  At about eight to nine hundred bucks this stepper isn’t exactly what you would call cheap.  What you’ve got to consider though, is the fact that you can use this piece of equipment all year round for an awesome cardio workout and if you don’t downright abuse it, it will probably last you a lifetime.  There are other steppers out there with comparable features and the same buttery smooth resistance, but in all likelihood you’d pay quite a bit more for any of them.  If you want a high quality, versatile and rock solid unit that won’t totally demolish your home gym budget I definitely recommend taking a look at the Kettler Power Stepper.

Budget Treadmills - Gold’s Gym 480

Of course I shop at Walmart – in this day and age who doesn’t?  I just don’t normally advocate buying major pieces of fitness equipment from the big box store.  Now I won’t say that I haven’t bought any fitness equipment from this retail giant, they do have good prices on jump ropes and such, but the vast majority of my Walmart purchases come at Christmas time from the toy department.  That being said, I have found one “diamond in the rough” so to speak when it comes to pieces of fitness equipment larger than that will fit into your pocket from Walmart – the Gold’s Gym 480 Treadmill.

The Gold’s Gym 480 can be had for under $400 online and can be delivered right to your door for a startlingly low shipping cost.  This is a very reasonable price for a motorized treadmill with this amount of features (albeit limited by some standards) and, though I’ve tried many, I can’t seem to find another motorized treadmill in this price range that feels as though it could hold up to the 480.

I’m far from what you would classify as a big guy, standing at around 5’11” and weighing in at a mighty 175 lbs, but this treadmill seemed to handle the force I generated even when I turned on the gas a bit.  The 50” deck isn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination, but it accommodated my stride well.  As with any piece of workout equipment, I imagine that folks who are exceedingly tall might have some issue with comfort in terms of stride length - if you want a treadmill that will comfortably accommodate a 6’4” frame, you’ll probably have to invest in a much more expensive unit than this.

I felt absolutely no creaks, cracks, groans or grumbles from the 480 while working out on it and to me, that’s pretty impressive from a treadmill in this price class, especially having felt what I have from other similarly price units.  The unit is easy to set up and the entire process of selecting workouts, adjusting speeds and adjusting incline is user friendly. 

Is this the best treadmill on the market, with the best warranty and the most pre-programmed workouts and exciting features?  Absolutely not, but it is the sturdiest, most comfortable and most functional treadmill that I’ve found for a price this low.  If you are looking for a budget treadmill for your home gym, the Gold’s Gym 480 is certainly worth a look in my humble opinion.

Want a Great Budget Elliptical – Check Out the Schwinn 431

Elliptical trainers have become exceedingly popular over the past few years for a number of reasons.  For starters, they provide a very effective and very low impact cardiovascular workout, which makes them great for folks looking to burn off excess weight but that have knee or ankle issues that might make it difficult to tackle high impact activities like running or jumping rope.  Unlike many other popular pieces of cardiovascular equipment that focus solely on the lower body, elliptical trainers give you the opportunity to get a complete workout that will strengthen your arms, chest and back at the same time as your lower body.

A good elliptical trainer is a fantastic addition to a home gym, but price is often a big determining factor when someone goes to purchase an elliptical trainer.  Many of the high end machines from the top manufacturers cost two-three thousand dollars or more, which is quite a bit more than most people have to spend on workout equipment.

Unlike the majority of cheap elliptical trainers out there, the Schwinn 431 feels rock solid during use.  Despite the fact that you can grab this machine for right around $700, it feels every bit as durable as machines that are classified as “commercial gym quality.”  Schwinn backs the 431 with a serious warranty so you can rest assured that even though this machine can easily fit into your budget that it will continue to provide effective workouts for the foreseeable future.

Schwinn didn’t skimp on functions and features on this trainer either.  You can choose from 16 different resistance levels and more than a dozen pre-programmed workouts so you’ll never get bored or outgrow this machine.  The user friendly LCD screen has tons of cool and useful features that allow you to track your progress during workouts and the 431 comes with a built in heart rate monitor.

There are good budget elliptical trainers out there, the key is finding one that has the features that you are looking for and that will stand up to regular use without falling apart – that’s where the Schwinn 431 comes in.  If you are looking for a cheap elliptical that operates like a high end elliptical and that is backed by a manufacturer warranty that will protect you in the event of a problem, look no further than the Schwinn 431. This trainer is super smooth, super comfortable and super durable and definitely recommended. 

Welcome to Gym Gear Guy!

A membership to a commercial gym can cost a lot of money, and getting their multiple times a week can be a real hassle if you’ve got a tight schedule.  Thankfully it is totally possible to build a gym in your home and apartment, without to great of an investment, that will help you to reach your health and fitness goals.

This site is designed to help you folks out there that want to save time and money by getting a great workout at home rather than spending money each month on an expensive gym membership.  We’ll be reviewing pieces of fitness equipment in virtually all categories and at virtually every price point to help you find the best and most effective equipment for your budget.

It doesn’t matter if your primary goal is to lose fat, build endurance, pack on muscle or carve out a perfect six pack, you’ll find the reviews of equipment on this site to help you achieve those goals.  We’ll be looking at everything from basic jump ropes and old school medicine balls to high end elliptical trainers, rowing machines and complete home gym packages to help you find the gear that you need to succeed in your quest for a better you.

We welcome your questions, comments and probably even take on some specific requests for reviews if you’ve got them.  We look forward to being able to help you build the best body possible by steering you in the right direction to affordable, versatile and functional equipment for your home gym.