Gym Equipment Buying Guides

When in the market for a treadmill it is important to consider the type of exercise you want to do, as well as the extra features that you want for your workout. Two of the key factors when it comes to deciding on a treadmill comes down to the size of the belt and the strength of the motor. These two factors will help to show you what kind of treadmill you are looking at. 

Size of the Deck:

The size of your treadmills running deck will show you what kind of exercise you can do on it. Treadmill deck sizes will usually range from 120cm to 152cm in length and 40cm to 55cm in width. The smaller the size of the deck the more limited your exercise range, as while running you have a longer stride length meaning you need a longer deck to accommodate. The average walking stride length is approx. 75cm, and someone like Usain Bolt has a running stride length of approx. 240cm. While you might not be putting in the same numbers as the worlds fastest man, it is important to consider that the smaller the treadmill the more likely you wont be able to run on it. Meaning that if you only plan to walk on a treadmill you can most likely make do with a smaller size deck. However if you are wanting to run or sprint you would be looking at a minimum recommended length of 140cm, but of course a 150cm deck will give you more comfort when running without worrying about coming off the end. 

Strength of the motor:

The strength of the motor also plays a major role in determining the type of exercise you can do, as a stronger motor means it can better handle running at higher speeds for longer periods of time. Treadmill motors will usually range from 2hp to 4.2hp, from your lower end home-use walking treadmills to your commercial grade treadmills. It is also important to consider how  many people will be using the treadmill on a daily basis, as a commercial treadmill can easily handle multiple people using it at high intensity every day, a lower end home use might struggle to keep up with a higher degree of usage. 

Extra determining features:

• Incline: Some treadmills have incline capabilities to varying degrees, while some have no incline, or manual incline where you have to get off the treadmill to adjust the incline.
• Speed: Treadmills have a range of maximum speeds from 12km/h to 22km/h. Most treadmills will have their lowest speed be 0.8kh/m.
• Bluetooth connectivity: Some treadmills offer extra connectivity via Bluetooth apps as well as being able to play music through their built in speakers. 
• Programs: Treadmills have a range of programs that can accommodate your needs, Such as distance targets, calorie burning targets, weight loss training, interval, target heart rate zones and more. 
• Heart rate sensor: Most treadmills have a handle heart rate sensor, or can be connected via Bluetooth to a wearable heart rate monitor.
• Fan: Some treadmills such as the horizon brand, proform and nordic track have built in fans to provide some airflow while running. 
• Training programs: Treadmills such a Proform and Nordic track have the appeal of their built in screen which gives you access to iFit programs, giving you immersive on-demand workouts and training programs.
• If you are looking at going all out with a commercial treadmill you also have the option of a touch screen display that can connect to the internet letting you browse entertainment and games while you workout.    

We encourage you to come on down to our showroom to check out our huge range of treadmill on display and talk to our team, where we can find you the best treadmill to suit you. Or check out the range online.

A power rack, also known as a squat rack or power cage, is a versatile piece of gym equipment designed for safe and effective strength training. It features adjustable safety bars that prevent accidents while lifting heavy weights, making it ideal for exercises like squats, bench presses, and overhead presses. With its versatility, it supports various movements for muscle growth, allows solo training without a spotter, and can be customized for different body sizes and exercise variations. Whether in gyms or home setups, a power rack is a core tool for building strength and muscle mass. Here at Macarthur Fitness Equipment, We have a range of power rack options to suit your budget and workout routine. 

One of the First Considerations when looking into getting your own power rack is the types of exercises that you want to do. Whether you just need something to do your basic barbell and body weight workouts or if you want to incorporate some other variations on barbell work and cabled exercises. 

For your basic barbell workouts the Renegade Power Rack offers all the basic functionality for your barbell and bodyweight exercises. The Renegade Power Rack includes a set of J-Hooks, Safeties, Dip Handles and a Chin up, giving you all the tools to get in a great workout at a great price. 

For something offering a lot more functionality the Renegade Heavy Duty Power Rack Combo includes 2 sets of J-Hooks, Safeties, Dip Handles, Chin Up, Bench, Weight Plate Holders and a Lat pulldown/ Low Row cabling System. With a stronger heavy duty frame the Heavy Duty Power Rack gives you the confidence that this rack can handle anything you throw at it with a 300kg J-hook/Safety weight rating. 

If you want something that offer customizability however than the Force USA MyRack System is the way to go. With a range of options including 4 safety options, 3 j-hook options, 3 Chin ups, and a huge range of other attachments you can customize the perfect rack to suit you. The addition of the Cable crossover attachments is a big advantage to the MyRack System over the other racks, giving you a lot of versatility in your workout routine.

If you want something even more basic to accommodate your barbell workouts than another great compact option if the My Gym Squat Stands. The My Gym Squat Stands offer the ability to work with a bench or standing and giving you some great basic racking functionality. 

The biggest downside to the MyRack power rack is that the optional attachments can make it a more expensive system when compared to the others. If you were to only get the same attachments for your MyRack as are available on the Renegade Power Rack or the Renegade Heavy Duty Combo, the MyRack system would be more expensive. However the big downside with the Renegade option is that there is no way to add extra attachments down the line if you want to add to your rack. 

When Looking at the options for a Power Rack we recommend looking at the types of exercises you want to be able to do. If you are after something to accommodate your basic needs then the Renegade Power Racks offer some good options at a reasonable price. However if you want the option of versatility and variety then the MyRack Option gives you the freedom to play and find the perfect setup. Depending on your price point and desires, the Force USA G Series All-In-One Trainers offer all of the basic functionality of your power rack along with a fully adjustable cabling system and smith machine that doubles as a vertical leg press. Making it a great option for getting a huge range of functionality in a much more compact design. 

If you are looking to set up a power rack based gym space it may be worth looking into some of our storage options for your plates and barbells, such as with the My Gym Olympic Weight Plate Tree.

Balance plays a crucial role in your workouts, such as 

1. Injury Prevention: Improved balance helps prevent injuries by enhancing stability and coordination. It enables your body to adjust and react to sudden movements or uneven surfaces, reducing the risk of falls or twists.

2. Functional Movement: Balance is fundamental for daily activities. Improving balance in workouts translates to better performance in everyday tasks, such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying objects, as it strengthens the stabilizing muscles.

3. Core Strength: Many balance exercises engage the core muscles. A strong core is essential for maintaining posture, stability, and overall strength during various workouts.

4. Improved Performance: Better balance can enhance athletic performance. It allows for more precise movements, agility, and control, which are beneficial in sports or activities that require quick changes in direction or speed.

5. Muscle Engagement: Balance exercises often require using multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This engagement leads to better muscle coordination and overall strength development.

6. Mind-Body Connection: Balance exercises often demand focus and concentration. They help improve the mind-body connection, promoting mental concentration and mindfulness during workouts.

7. Reduced Stress on Joints: Good balance distributes weight evenly across the body, reducing the stress placed on joints during exercises and movements.

8. Enhanced Proprioception: Proprioception, the body's awareness of its position in space, is improved with balance exercises. This heightened sense of awareness helps prevent accidents and improves overall body control.

9. Overall Fitness: Including balance work in your routine contributes to a well-rounded fitness regimen. It complements strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and flexibility exercises for a more comprehensive approach to fitness.

Incorporating balance-focused exercises not only improves your physical performance but also contributes to overall health and well-being by enhancing stability, coordination, and injury prevention.

Here are some helpful tips to help you enhance your balance:

1. Balance Exercises: Incorporate exercises that challenge balance, like single-leg stands, single-leg deadlifts, and balance board exercises. Start with holding onto a stable surface and progress to doing them without support as your balance improves.

2. Bosu Ball/ Balance Dome: A Balance Dome can be a versatile tool. Using it for squats, lunges, or even simple standing balance exercises can engage your core and stabilizing muscles.

3. Resistance Bands: Utilize resistance bands for exercises like lateral leg raises, standing leg curls, or overhead presses. They add resistance, forcing your body to stabilize while performing movements.

4. Yoga and Pilates: These disciplines heavily focus on balance, stability, and core strength. Integrating yoga poses like tree pose or Pilates exercises can significantly improve your balance.

5. Balance Boards: Standing on balance boards challenges stability and enhances balance. They can be used for exercises like squats or simple standing balance drills.

6. Strength Training: Strengthening leg muscles through exercises like calf raises, squats, and lunges can indirectly improve balance by providing a stable foundation.

7. Tai Chi or Martial Arts: Consider learning Tai Chi or practicing martial arts movements. These disciplines emphasize fluid movements and balance control.

8. Stability/Exercise Ball: Use a stability ball for exercises like ball squats, ball bridges, or simply sitting on it to engage your core muscles for balance.

9. Proprioception Exercises: Incorporate exercises that challenge your proprioception, like closing your eyes while standing on one leg or doing activities on an unstable surface.

10. Consistency and Progression: Consistent practice is key. Start with easier exercises and gradually progress to more challenging ones as your balance improves.

Remember, balance improvement takes time and patience. It's essential to focus on proper form and technique while performing these exercises to prevent injury and maximize the benefits.

When looking at what weight plates to get for your gym it is important to understand the differences between them. One of the major distinctions between weight plates is the sizing, of which there is Standard and Olympic Sizes. Another key distinction is whether the plate is rubber coated or a bumper plate. Here I will run through what these distinctions mean and how they can influence your choice of plate for your setup. 

What does Plate Size Mean?

A standard size weight plate refers to the size of the hole that the bar sits in. For standard sized plates the diameter of the hole can range from 25-30mm, Meaning it is important to check the size of the plate that you are looking at to ensure it will fit your existing equipment. A good example of a standard sized plate is our Renegade 50kg Adjustable Barbell & Dumbbell Set which have a diameter of approx. 26mm.

An Olympic size weight plate has an internal hole diameter of 50mm, across most Olympic sized plates there will not be any discrepancy in the sizing, making them a more universal plate. A lot of equipment these days is made with Olympic sized plates in mind, for example if you are looking at the Force USA G Series, while there are some exceptions these machines are best suited to Olympic sized plates. 

What Is The Point Of Bumper Plates?

Outside of the size of the internal hole another key difference you will find in weight plates is if they are bumper plates. Bumper plates are best described as plates that can be dropped, making them ideal for exercises where you might be dropping the bar from a height. Alternatively there are iron and rubber coated plates, the major benefit of the rubber coated option is that they are considerably quieter than their iron counterparts. As well as being more resistant to rusting as there is not any exposed metal. 

Bumper plates can come in many variations that can change how they are used and the amount of plates that can be used. Such as the Renegade trainer bumper plates, which are made using a high density rubber. This plate offers a great Bumper plate functionality, capable of handling being dropped consistently, however due to them being made from a high density rubber they are quite large. With the 25kg Plate having a width of 120mm, meaning on a typical Olympic 20kg barbell you can only fit 3 plates on either end of the bar with collars. 

Alternatively the Renegade Pro Grade Bumper Plate offer even better bumper plate functionality while maintaining a much slimmer design. With the 25kg plate having a width of 50mm, this means on your typical Olympic 20kg barbell you could fit 7 plates on either end of the bar with collars. While most people may not be using 25kg plates, the Renegade Trainer Bumper even in smaller sizes is noticeably larger than the pro grade or rubber coated plate options. This means that if you want to train heavier, the trainer bumper plate may not be the best option for you. 

When should you use bumper plates?

Bumper plates are best used in exercises that are not performed within the confines of a rack. If you plan to only work on a smith machine, a power rack, or bench press then you are more than able to achieve great results using non bumper plates such as the renegade rubber coated weight plates. As Renegade rubber coated weight plates are considerably cheaper than bumper plates, if you never intend to work outside your rack then they can definitely be a more cost effective option. Since rubber coated plates are not intended for dropping they are more likely to break when dropped, especially repeatedly, which is why they are better suited to work where the plates will not make contact with the ground. 

For when you intend to do exercises that take you away from a rack, such as with deadlifting, standing shoulder press and many other standing barbell work where you cannot operate within a rack. Bumper plates offer the piece of mind that if/when you drop the bar the plates will be more than capable of handling it. The Renegade Pro Grade Plates also offer an attractive colour coded weight system that is universal, that can make Your gym setup stand out against the rest. When looking at bumper plates it is also important to consider the bar you will use, as with weight plates there are bars that can be dropped and bars that are not made for dropping. For a barbell that works best with bumper plates we recommend the Renegade 2000lb barbell, if you are not looking into bumper plates than a cheaper option is the Renegade 700lb Barbell. 

There are several variations of the Force USA G Series All-In-One Trainers, Each with their own unique features. Across the board the G series machines include a Chin up, Core trainer, Front rack, Cabling system and Smith machine (with the exception of the G1). Force USA has also released an app, which includes a list of exercises that can be done with your machine as well as a tailored workout plan that makes the most of your machine. From the G1 to the G20 Pro we will run you through the key details and differences between each model. 

One of the key differences in the range is the weight stack or plate loaded design, The G6, G12, G15, And G20 Pro are all weight stack pin loaded machines. Whereas the G1, G3, G9, and G10 are plate loaded. One of the major advantage to pin loaded weight stacks is that they are significantly easier to change to weight and less clutter. Plate Loaded machines require more weight plates to be able to use every aspect of the Machine, taking up more space and Requiring the need to load an unload plates in order to change the weight between exercises. 

Another Key difference is Cable Ratio, there Are 3 Variations of Cable Ratio within the range, including 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1. A Brief Outline of the cable ratios is as follows:

• 1:1 ratio Means that the pinned weight is equal to the weight on the pull. So if you pin the weight at 40lb, you will have 40lb on the pull. The biggest disadvantage to a 1:1 Ratio is that the cable length is shorter than on a 2:1 or 4:1. another potential disadvantage is that a 1:1 Ratio Results in a higher jump in weight for every pin equaling another 10lb's. This makes a 1:1 Ratio ideal for exercises that target bigger muscle groups, such as Lat-Pulldowns and Low rows. 
• 2:1 Ratio means that the pinned weight Is halved on the pull, So If you pin the weight at 40lb, you will have 20lb on the pull. The biggest disadvantage to a 2:1 Ratio is that you have less weight to work with for those exercises that tend to hit higher weights. A Major advantage to the 2:1 Ratio is that you have a slightly longer cable length than on a 1:1 system making it Ideal for bigger rotating movements such as Cable Fly. The 2:1 Ratio also means that the jump in weight is much smaller than the 1:1 Ratio, with each pin equaling another 5lb's. This makes it  much easier to progressive overload and to slowly improve your max weight in a wide range of exercises.
• 4:1 Ratio Means that the Pinned weight is quartered on the pull, so if you pin the weight at 40lb, you will have 10lb on the pull. The biggest disadvantage to a 4:1 Ratio is that you have less weight to work with when compared to a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. The biggest Advantage to a 4:1 Ratio is a significantly longer cable length allowing for a wide range of exercise options. As well as smaller increments in weight for every pin being equal to another 2.5lb on the pull. This Makes a 4:1 ratio great for big rotating movements and ideal for people who struggle to increase weight over time. 

A Unique addition to a few options in the range includes a counterbalanced smith machine. This gives you a weightless bar giving you a 0kg starting point, which is great for beginners needing to practice the movement without any weight. It also mean that whatever weight you put onto the bar is the exact weight that you are working with. 

The Force USA G1 is a plate loaded machine that operates at a 2:1 Ratio, using a single weight station. The G1 also does not include a smith machine meaning it has less functionality when compared to the rest of the range. the G1 is a good option if you are after something to get all of your basic cabling exercises along with a front rack in a nice compact unit.

The Force USA G3 is a plate loaded machine that operates at a 2:1 Ratio using a Dual weight station. The G3 Includes a Smith machine, and a leg press attachment can be purchased as an after market option. The G3 offers all of the basic functionality of the all-in-one trainer and can be a good option if you have a lot of weight plates or are needing a cheaper alternative. 

The force USA G6 is a pin loaded weight stack machine, operating at a 2:1 ratio using dual 100kg weight stack's. With the 2:1 ratio it will give a maximum of 50kg on either side. The G6 is the original All-In-One trainer Offering everything you need to satisfy your workout routine.

The force USA G12 Is a pin loaded weight stack machine, operating at a 1:1 ratio using dual 90kg weight stacks. With the 1:1 ratio it will give a maximum of 90kg on either side, The G12 also offers a counterbalanced smith machine. The G12 is the only pure 1:1 ratio machine in the G series range, making it good for anyone who isn't concerned with needing to work with smaller increments. 

The Force USA G15 is a pin loaded weight stack machine, Operating a dual pulley system with a 4:1 and 2:1 ratio using dual 130kg weight stacks. With the 4:1 ratio it will give a maximum of 32.5kg on either side, and with the 2:1 it will give a maximum of 65kg on either side. The G15 also has an optional Upgrade Kit which includes storage shelves, leg press plate, core trainer, TV bracket, jammer arms and a couple extra cable attachments. The G15 is a Definite upgrade on the G6 with more weight too work with, while still offering a lot of great functionality and is something anyone could get on and use no matter their level of strength.

The Force USA G20 Pro is a pin loaded weight stack machine, operating at a 2:1 ratio using dual 130kg weight stacks. With the 2:1 Ratio it will give a maximum of 65kg on either side. The G20 Pro also has the option to include a Lat Row Station Upgrade, which operates at a 1:1 Ratio using 130kg weight stack, giving a massive 130kg on the pull. 

After Market Options:

The G15 Upgrade Kit offers a full selection of extras that will help complete your All-In-One Trainer, and is definitely recommended to get the best use out of your machine.

There is an option to add a set of jammer arms to your machine for the G6, G12, G15 as part of the Upgrade kit and G20 pro as part of the G20 Upgrade kit.

There is an option to get a dedicated Lat pulldown seat for the G1, G3, G6, G9, G12, G10, G15 and G20 pro.