After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposing of a nationwide lockdown, I wasn’t able to go visit the gym as I used to do three days a week.
Just like everyone else, I scrambled trying to find whatever products I could to set up something at home as I have an apartment with a fairly nice amount of space. One of the things I was looking for was an all-in-one, and I landed on Joe Weider home gyms.
Weider is one of the notable brands and manufacturers of gym equipment. One of their home gyms that I have tried is useful for my daily gym routine.
A little fun fact for you: the Weider brand is from none other than Joe Weider. A fitness legend, and may he rest in peace.
He’s a well-known bodybuilder who established the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, which is amongst other legendary things he built in his bodybuilding and fitness empire. I got a glimpse of what legendary things he did during his lifetime from a movie I watched called Bigger.
I want to continue seeing improvements in my body. I loved the fact that I can allow at least an hour or two of my time every day. If you’re here because you’re currently looking to set up a home gym or curious what the brand has to offer, I’m very happy to help you out. Here I’ve listed my top five picks of the best Weider home gyms and shared a few opinions on each one.
Best Joe Weider Home Gyms Compared and Reviewed
| Image | Name | Brand | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | Weider Ultimate Body Works | Weider | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Weider Power Tower | Weider | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Weider Incline Weight Bench | Weider | Check Price on Amazon |
 | ICON Fitness Weider PRO 8500 Smith Cage | Weider | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Weider X-Factor Door Gym | Weider | Check Price on Amazon |
#1 - Weider Ultimate Body Works
The inclined bench is adjustable and with the help of two pulleys on each side, so you can freely decide if you’d increase or decrease the weight resistance that is suitable for your body weight.
Exercises like the Seated Chest Press, V-Crunch, Squats, and the Lateral Pulldown are some of the highly suggested ones that you can do with the Weider Ultimate Body Works. The cushion material is made of foam.
It features a telescopic design to make adjustments easy for you at home. There are four different resistance bands featured in its design. These can help you introduce a new level of difficulty on your workout alongside its additional 50 lbs resistance.
The adjustable incline has eight levels that you can also choose from. The Weider Ultimate Body Works features a compact SpaceSaver design. You can easily keep the equipment under the bed or in your closet to keep your home clutter-free. Sounds great, huh? I think it’s also one of the factors why it’s considered one of the best Weider home gyms.
Me, however, I love it and am still using it.
What have others said about this Weider home gym equipment?
“Perfect for the home gym, cost-effective and it just works!” – JN
PROS
- Full-body workout
- Adjustable
- Easy to use
- SpaceSaver design
CONS
- Some reports of wobbly units
#2 - Weider Power Tower
The variety of positions and stations that you can do, working out using the Power Tower can strengthen your whole body.
The vertical knee raise station of this equipment targets your core. This can help you develop and enhance your midsection from every angle. There is a built-in push-up station made with high quality molded handgrips to ensure your comfort and security when you use it. This station prioritizes strengthening your chest and shoulder muscles.
To strengthen and define your arms, lats, and biceps, use the pull-up feature of this equipment. It will put your body weight resistance to help you achieve the strong arms you’re aiming for!
A calf raise station is also another thing that you can look forward to when using this equipment. This section will allow you to improve and strengthen your leg muscles. The Power Tower has a quality sewn cushion and comfortable padding. This is built to last!
What have others said about this Weider home gym equipment?
“Great addition to your home gym!” – Eric
PROS
- Stations that can help improve your upper body workout
- Custom workout space
- Easy to use
CONS
- Some reports on missing parts resulting in wobbly equipment
#3 - Weider Incline Weight Bench
The four-roll leg lockdown feature ensures you have the proper comfortable stability as well as a more controlled workout.
This bench delivers a personalized workout and proper form with its 90-degree seat adjustment. It has several foldable positions: flat, incline, and decline, which gives you a variety of workout options. It is built to last with its powder-coated steel frame.
The design is professionally-engineered to make sure it will be durable and useful for the years to come.
I like the customizable feature of this equipment as it also gives you the freedom to challenge yourself and try a variety of positions to increase difficulty in a workout. It’s something that I look for in gym equipment.
The bench has a cool feature to it. It includes a helpful exercise guide inside. According to Weider, the guide was designed by a certified personal trainer. It aims to guide and help you maximize and achieve your results!
PROS
- Includes an exercise guide
- Easy to adjust and use
- Durable
CONS
- Some reports on design flaws
#4 - ICON Fitness Weider PRO 8500 Smith Cage
Home gym enthusiasts will be glad to have this equipment as it caters up to seven different stations! These stations will help build your arms, legs, and core.
You can adjust the bench to an incline when you’re targeting to focus on your upper chest and shoulders or decline it to emphasize your lower chest and triceps. It has an incorporated six-part foam leg developer to help you train comfortably.
The Smith Cage features an integrated weight plate storage. This will allow you to help keep your home clutter-free and organized.
Wanting to track your progress? This workout cage comes with a helpful and handy exercise chart that will guide you to maximize your experience while trying to track your progress.
Various users have praised the Smith Cage for providing them with every exercise they can think of.
This equipment will provide you with total security and safety from going to the gym outside during this pandemic. It’s a must-have for its price, durability, and uniqueness. It helps you get that intense full-body workout whilst bringing you comfort at the same time.
PROS
- Great for intense workouts
- Seven different stations
- Full-body workout
- Affordable
CONS
- Reports on an unstable pulley system
#5 - Weider X-Factor Door Gym
With every strength-training workout, resistance is always key. This unique equipment promotes movements that can help you add muscle mass and build strength. Resistance plays a big role in this because as you increase it, your body uses more force.
It promises to deliver exercises that promote movements that strengthen your core and extremities, all done thru an intense, fat-burning, and muscle-building workout.
It’s great if you’re saving up on space too! As it’s just simply attached to your door. When you purchase it, the X-Factor kit comes with two handles, two ankle straps, four connection clips, and resistance bands.
It also has an exercise chart that has over 50 different exercises, which is great if you need some guidance and something different to try for your workout.
Another bonus that comes along with the kit is three workout DVDs (X-Factor Total Body Workout, MMA-designed Explosion Workout, and X-Factor AB Shredding) as well as a nutrition guide for eight weeks to help you through your fitness journey.
I highly recommend this home gym option for beginners and those who don’t want to spend too much on their home gym equipment. Even though this comes at an affordable price, some of its users say the build quality is pretty good and they love the space-saving feature it provides.
PROS
- Unique design for your workout
- Easy to install
- Space saver
- Affordable
CONS
- Reports on a slight difference in resistance between the two bands
- Need to have a standard door
My Number One Pick
- Dimensions: 59 L x 27.5 W x 48 H
- Max. Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
- Cushion material: Foam
- Cable-and-pulley system allows for greater versatility and an expanded range of motion
What Should I Look For In A Joe Weider Home Gym Setup?
Below is a guide of what I found to be helpful when looking at Joe Weider home gyms.
Body Goals
Before deciding to purchase a home gym, you need to determine your goals first. Are you looking for something that focuses on your upper body or lower body workout? Or do you need something that has a total package? Think about this first and then start searching for a home gym equipment you need.
- Full Body Workout
Fortunately, Joe Weider home gym equipment was designed to target almost all body parts. You can purchase The Door Gym and have a full-body workout already.
The ICON Fitness Weider PRO 8500 Smith Cage will also give you a lot of options in terms of full-body strength training. - Upper Body Workout
The Power Tower is the home gym that will help you work your upper body out. I personally think this is not the best buy for your buck being that it only works half of your body but pair this with the proper home item (like 10 gallons of water) for improvised workouts that will help you work out your lower body. That would work for me. - Lower Body Workout
As I mentioned your legs, glutes and hamstrings are as important as your upper body. The Weider Ultimate Body Works acknowledges this with an offering of a workout system that is designed to work not only your upper body but also your lower body.
Space
Not everyone has a whole floor dedicated to a gym, and sometimes, this is one of the factors why people neglect to work out: there’s no space at home at all.
To successfully set up a home gym, you need to figure out space you’re going to put it in. Make sure to measure your desired space first and then look at the measurements of the equipment of your choice. Doing this will let you have a stress-free decision and even save money.
The Joe Weider home gyms are mostly designed to help you fit your gym in as little space as possible. Power Tower is flexible and offers equipment which you can customize to fit your ‘fitness space’. The Door Gym is an ‘un-hang and store’ equipment, while the Weider Ultimate Body Works can be kept under your bed.
Budget
Buying and setting up a home gym is not cheap. Making a list of the equipment you need might be helpful to you when figuring this out. Set up a budget and start looking at different sites you can purchase the equipment from. Compare prices and read reviews.
Having a home gym can save you a lot of money because you can ditch a costly gym membership and enjoy your own at home. With that said, Joe Weider’s Door Gym and Icon Smith cages won’t break your bank, but still, give you high-quality workouts.
Safety
Unfortunately, not all home gym equipment is durable. If you can go to a physical store, check out the equipment you’re eyeing to get and look at how it’s built. Ask a shop assistant about the details of the equipment.
Determine if it’s also proper for your weight to ensure it will be safe for you to use. If you can’t go to a physical store now and just looking online, make sure to read and watch a lot of reviews before purchasing your desired home gym equipment. Trust me, there are a lot of helpful reviews out there.
Frequently Asked Questions on Home Gyms
Q: Is a home gym better than going to an actual gym?
A: This depends on your preference. Personally, after a few months of using my home gym, I have grown to love it. If you want to work out at any time of day, I highly recommend setting up a home gym!
Q: Are home gyms expensive?
A: Given the numerous exercises you can do while using it and build quality, I think any price of a home gym will be justified. Just make sure to select a known brand that has durable and lasting equipment just like Weider. It’s a way to ensure that the equipment you’ll be getting is safe to use.
Conclusion
Taking care of your body is one way to reward yourself. If you’re serious about making a change, you have to start thinking of ways right now in order to reach that body goal you’ve always wanted. Spend your free time during this pandemic to motivate yourself.
There are so many things you can do like setting up your own home gym! And if you’re looking for more, check out my other post on the home gym essentials. If you have plenty of space and are looking for even more equipment then check out my reviews on some of the best workout machines and smith machines which you can setup at home.
It is quite a big leap if you’re transitioning from a home gym to an actual gym. Especially if you’re so used to doing the latter. But during these times, an at-home gym is the best option for you not just for your safety, but for your budget as well.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Weider
https://www.nfm.com/weider-ultimate-body-works
https://www.nfm.com/weider-power-tower
https://www.nfm.com/weider-pro-225-l-weight-bench
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.