My time at the gym may be limited, soon, so I'm looking for some type of weights so I can do weight training at home. I've been using the Nautilus machine at the little gym I go to, but I've got no room for anything that big.

What do some of you have, and what would you suggest? Checking in with the sticky threads in this section, I noticed talk of resistance bands. Will you get as good a workout with the bands as you would with a set of free weights or dumbbells?

I talked to the lady who runs the little gym I go to, today, and she said free weights would give as good a workout, if not better, than the Nautilus machine, but that the options for leg workouts would be fewer. Not sure what to do....

I have a set of Versa-Bell dumbbells. You can adjust the weight from 5 to 25 lbs. They are a little on the expensive side but they take the place of like 9 sets of dumbbells.

brn2bthn...my husband is wanting us to get something like that, so he can use 'em too. I was worried that dumbbells would take up a lot of room, but the adjustable ones don't at all...something to consider....

Dumbbells take up some room although I don't really mind it. I have up to 25 lbs and I have kettlebells up to 45 lbs.

Free weights are awesome and you can do good leg work with them including squats and lunges.

You can get a pretty decent workout with resistance bands although I wouldn't say it would be the same as working with free weights. There are also body weight exercises you can do with no weights.

I'm leaning toward the free weights because I can't really see HOW the bands would give as good a workout as the weights. And also, I can't see my husband using bands...he'd want manly weights, that clang and make noise!!

REALLY manly men attach resistance bands to their weights to make the top portion of the lift more difficult: Using Bands and Chains

One of these days I am going to invest in a set of bands to help train my lockout, and reduce the stress on my elbows when speed benching. Chains would be great too, but I can't see lugging 80# of chains to the gym.

Wow...don't tell him I said so...but my husband may not be manly ENOUGH yet for those bands...

Yeah, when I read the "manly" comment, I was going to post a link to Dave Tate and EliteFTS, but RobertW already covered that with his link to Louie Simmons.

Bands are an extremely versatile tool. If I had to choose a full set of Jump Stretch Bands vs a 25-50 lb set of adjustable dumbells, i'd choose the bands, myself.

Actually, I will link to EliteFTS anyway to show the versatility of bands.

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?tid=101&__N=Band%20Exercises


Also, bands are great for athletic training. Not only for a metabolic aspect but for training acceleration and deceleration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOyrEHSkzAc

I use bands and body weight exclusively for strength training...they are so versatile, and it means if I have to travel, I can bring my workout with me in a suitcase (I don't need a hotel gym if I have my bands, my running shoes, and my mp3 player...you eliminate a LOT of excuses that way). But for a home gym, either would work really well.

There are bands with resistance so strong that even experience lifters have to strain. A dumbbell is really just providing resistance...the downward pressure from the weight of the dumbbell and gravity. Resistance bands provide the same resistance, but in a different way. I find they actually make me work harder, since they are harder to control on the downward half of a weight lifting motion...you have to focus so they don't pull your arm down.

That's an aspect I hadn't considered, Mandalinn...having to control the bands both up AND down. And that they're portable. And probably cheaper than a good set of free weights.

I also like the Bowflex ( there are other brands too) adjustable weights because you turn the dial and go up by 2 1/2 lbs at a time and there is no storage problem.
Whoops I guess you discussed this already. I should have read more carefully.

I would go for a set of free weights. The nautilus machines that they have for the home are usually of an inferior quality and you do not get a good return for the amount of time you spend on them.

For space and ease of use, dumbbells win, especially the modular kind. Those quick-switch ones like versa-bell look awesome though I have never used them (I'd read the amazon reviews before getting a set).

However, at those prices, resistance bands sound like quite the deal. If you got them and later decided to get dumbbells, it's not much of a loss.

A good set of dumbbells and barbells can be found easily used on craiglist or something like that!

I love my free weights. I found a neat little weight holder from Reebok that fits in my closet under my coats and holds 4 pairs. I also bought a teenager sized bar that stands up there, with some weights that I put on the floor. Check out Sears, Walmart and Target for free weights too. It's a great investment in yourself and it's so handy to work out at home.