🏋️ The 10 most OVERRATED pieces of gym equipment

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Welcome to Home Gym Club! According to research from RunRepeat, “Only 15.18% of current gym members think their membership is the best way to achieve their fitness goals in 2021—while 49.92% now see at-home fitness equipment as their best option.” That’s a lot of home gym converts!

What’s in today’s newsletter:

• Coop courts controversy with his coverage of overrated home gym equipment.

• Our experts rounded up and reviewed the eight best Smith machines.

• We took the Echelon Ellipse EL-8s elliptical for a test drive.

• A personal trainer walks you through how to kettlebell bench press.

Watch Party

The 10 Most OVERRATED Home Gym Equipment Pieces

At GGR, we want the best for you and your home gym, so Coop went in a slightly different direction with his latest video by listing his top 10 most overrated home gym equipment pieces.

Here’s a taste of the items that made the list:

• Jammer arms (that don’t lock)

• Single-use machines

• Fixed dumbbells

• Treadmills (😱)

Whether you agree or disagree, tune in and hear Coop out (before heading to the comment section).

A Message From Lumen

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The result of all this data? More sustainable muscle growth and fat loss tailored to your individual needs and goals.

If you want to unlock the potential of your metabolism and start crushing your fitness goals, read more about Lumen here. And right now, GGR readers will get an exclusive 15% discount on their purchase.

Gear Heads

8 Best Smith Machines

Smith machines have a bad reputation. While they’re among the best leg machines, they remain one of the most controversial pieces of equipment. Some love the sliding bar's built-in safety, and others loathe the fixed path.

If you’re here to hate on Smith machines, we’re going to try and change your mind. Smith machines can be a great tool for leg and arm isolation exercises, offering a unique way to train in your garage gym.

Our team of expert product testers and researchers have compiled our picks for the best Smith machines on the market today. With certified personal trainers, lifting coaches, competitive athletes, and runners on our roster of experts, we have decades of experience going into our top picks for the best Smith machines.

Cardio Corner

Echelon Ellipse EL-8s Review

Many people choose running or cycling for cardio, but the best ellipticals can provide an equally challenging workout. In fact, elliptical workouts provide more of a full-body training experience since you use both your arms and your legs to power the machine.

One of the latest ellipticals we tested is the Echelon Ellipse EL-8s. There are many things we liked about it, but there are also a few drawbacks worth mentioning. In this Echelon Ellipse EL-8s review, we’ll help you decide whether this elliptical is worth adding to your home gym.

Train Station

How To Kettlebell Bench Press

Kettlebell training usually involves exercises such as kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups. You don’t often—if ever—see the kettlebell bench press included in either kettlebell or dedicated chest workouts. Based on his 10 years of experience as a fitness enthusiast and certified personal trainer, GGR expert contributor Ravi Davda would argue that you should add it. Not only does it help to build muscle in your chest, triceps, and shoulders, but it can also help reduce strain on your shoulder joints and rotator cuff muscles.

We’ll begin this guide by explaining how to do the kettlebell bench press with the correct form, then give modifications, variations, and alternative exercises to try. To finish, we’ll list the benefits of this strength training exercise and common mistakes to avoid.

Featured Deal

Echelon Fitness

At Echelon Fitness, you can save up to $700 off Echelon Connected cardio equipment. THAT’S NOT ALL; with each purchase, you’ll get a FREE EQUIPMENT MAT and FREE SHIPPING.

Quick Hits

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• For our Olly Vitamins review, we tried the popular gummy brand’s top products to help you narrow down your search.

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