Similar to Weider, Golds Gym home gym products are manufactured by ICON Health and Fitness, one of the largest exercise equipment makers in the world.
ICON also manufactures brands like Proform, Free Motion, Nordic Track and Reebok.
Unlike Weider, Gold's Gym has few home gym products and is mainly known for their Power series, including their Power Flex home gym
The Power Flex home gym is the most popular of the Gold's Gym series and offers 9 workout stations in one machine:
- Pull-Up Station
- Dip Station
- Vertical Knee Raise Station
- Preacher Station
- Squat Station
- Lat Tower Station
- Mid Pulley Station
- Low Pulley Station
- Leg Station
It uses rubber resistance plates to provide 240lbs of resistance and is upgradeable to 340lbs. You can do up to 65 exercises on the Powerflex.
The Powerflex comes with Automatic Resistance Control (very much like the Digital resistance control found on the Weider Platinum), which lets you change resistance on the fly, with the touch of a button.
You can change resistance in one-pound increments for more personalized results. The ARC computer also counts your reps and sets, freeing you to focus on proper form.
(While this is a good idea in theory - some users have reported problems with the ARC not working, which is a pain to try and get it fixed)
In general the Gold's Gym Power Flex doesn't rate very highly with users or experts. The digital controls are a problem, there's no lat bar included and Gold's Gym is not know for providing the best customer service.
Bottom Line: Not Recommended
Although Gold's Gym is a widely recognized and respected brand (largely because of the actual Gold's Gym fitness centers and their reputation), the brand doesn't offer much in the way of home gyms.
Their most popular home gym - the Gold's Gym Powerflex - does offer a wide range of exercises in a compact machine.
However the warranty is poor (lifetime on frame, 1 year mechanics, 90 days labor), the digital resistance may break down on you, and customer reviews are mixed.
For the price, there are just other home gyms out there that offer better value for your money. If you're on a budget you may want to check out the Weider home gyms or even the lower end Bowflex models.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
If you want to browse Gold's Gym products you can usually get a discount when you buy direct from the ICON online wholesaler - Workout Warehouse. They also usually give you free shipping.
