Home Gyms

I have a garage gym with barbell/bumper plates, 2 kettlestacks (adjustable kettlebells), a pullup bar, squat stands, and a bench. I got all that stuff for around $800, which is a little over a year in gym fees at our local YMCA.

Pros: I have everything I want. I have better equipment than is available at the gym (BUMPER PLATES, YO!!) and yet I have zero skeezy guys who hit on me. I don't have to worry about wearing pants if I haven't shaved my legs in 3 weeks. I don't care if my socks match. Nothing will get stolen out of my locker. I can take off my shirt without being self-concious if I get hot. I can do all the crazy workouts I want with out stares, comments, or helpful suggestions interrupting me. The equipment is always free and the music is always what I feel like listening to.

Cons: It's sometimes hard to motivate myself to go hard when I'm working out by myself.  

Located in my bedroom I have the Bowflex Ultimate 2, a Precor Elliptical Machine, and my bike trainer.  I stay at home and watch my 3 kids so it makes it simple to get my workouts in at any time of day.  The bowflex does everything from abs to squats and there are different types of machines depending on what exercises you plan on doing.  The ultimate 2 does everything and more.

If I didn't know you were into CF I'd sure know by that description of the home gym.

OP, mine looks like:

Power Rack w/ Pull-up Bar, bench, ~300 lbs in bumpers and a few hundred more in iron, pairs of 10-15-35-50-70 lbs KBs, rings, 10-20-30 lbs medicine balls, spin bike, C2 Rower, parallettes, power sled, a couple BodyBag(TM) sandbags, ab wheel, and most recently and miserably a sloshing pillar of pain.

Love it because I can play whatever music I want, put on whatever movies I want, be as loud as I want, drop the weights if I feel like it, and my dog and cats are always willing to lend moral support.

bts

*Note, link includes potentially provactive pics of fitness models in the margins

the best home gym out there for the buck is some dumbells and an adjustable bench..........very verstile workouts.  any exercise can be done.

No, actually, mine is the best.  

NO, DUMBELLS ARE THE BEST!!!

Here it is before I got most of the stuff. I need to take a new pic!

wow..................er..........................um...........................nice!!

Well, come on over! 

FYI, check out this link:

http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=12572&highlight=rings

It includes instructions on how you can basically make your own TRX for about 10 bucks.

bts 

I have my treadmill, eliptical, bike trainer, fitball, bosu, dumbbells, yoga mat in one room, bowflex in another... free weights and bench are stored away in the garage since we moved.  I'd like to get a squat rack but don't really have room for it in the house.    I like the bowflex, it's enough weight for me although my husband found it wasn't for him.   It's not easy to do squats with ours, better I think with the newer model bowflex.

I love our Bowflex -- it does everything I need and it takes up very little room.  Ordered hubby bigger rods for xmas.  Dang that sounds dirty.  We also have free weights and an adjustable bench that I got free.  As for treadmills etc.,  I'll run outside no matter what the weather and if snow gets too deep I'll snowshoe or xc ski - no ellipticals or treadmills tnx!!  But the ball or whatever it's called for crunches and all kinds of stuff is great.  What I really need at this point is a good yoga video because I love the stretching/strength combo.

 Hope this helps!