Home Gym in Canada?

Question

Hi, I'm just starting to lift weights and I was looking to buy a good Home Gym. I am willing to spend up to $700. I live in Canada, and the Home Gyms here are way overpriced. I was wondering if you could name a few good gyms for me that are of decent price in Canada or some that ship to Canada?

Answer

I know that trying to ship large bulky packages like a home gym, treadmill or elliptical trainer to Canada can be a real pain in the a double s. Heck, it was pain just to try and buy a cymbal for my drum set from a guy on eBay - two weeks later I finally got my cymbal and paid high shipping costs to boot.

If I were in your shoes and wanted a home gym shipped to Canada, I would either take a look at my best home gyms page or consider one of the following three options outlined below:

Best Home Gym Under $700 for Canada

Option #1 - I know you said in your question that you're looking for a home gym (and I take that to mean a traditional home gym like a Body Solid or a Hoist model) but I think it's worth considering investing in some resistance bands like the Bodylastics (Bodylastics Review) that I own and use in conjunction with my other equipment.

The nice thing about getting resistance bands first, is they will provide a great workout right from the beginning. You can also hang onto them for years to come when you upgade to more advanced equipment, and as your strength increases and you need more of a challenge.

Option #2 - Take a look at one of the best home gyms to come out in years, the TRX Exercise System (TRX Gym Video Review). When I first heard about the TRX I thought it was a gimmick, but after trying it out firsthand I've become a believer. For how versatile this gym is, the under $200 price is a real bargain when compared against the total junk from Weider, Marcy and Stamina that cost $100's more.

Option #3 - The third option would be to get a good set of dumbbells (see my dumbell picks here) and an adjustable weight bench (favorite weight benches here).  I know a weight bench isn't as sexy as a shiny new home gym, but if used correctly a basic incline/decline/flat weight bench and a good set of dumbells is as good of a home gym is a lot of people will ever need.

An of these three options above will cost you way less than $700 dollars, and should be easy to ship to Canada with minimal fuss.

I hope that helps, good luck with your purchase and keep me posted about what you get.