I have packed quite a bit of basic stuff into this small space.  You'll notice that most of this is old school. No fancy (expensive) Nautilus or Hammer Strength machines. I like the simplicity of what I have. Bars and plates. Leverage machines and cables tend to ease the lifting experience reducing effectiveness. The cables are my only compromise. They add an aspect of variety. Though I used them often when starting out, I find myself putting together whole routines that leave them out in favor of free weights.

I have been fortunate in that I have had to pay full price for very little of my equipment. I bought the first 110 pound standard weight set and the elliptical machine and mag trainer.

 

I was fortunate to have a Play It Again Sports nearby and was able to buy extra weight plates, bars and cable attachments used. It was truely a sad day when I dropped in and found the shop had gone out of business. I have been looking for new sources. We were able to buy a nearly new Total Gym at a yard sale for $20. Craig's List, www.craigslist.com, looks promising.

 

Kind friends have given me a number of items such as the bike, cage and olympic set, cable tower, rebounder and heavy bag.

 

Necessity is the mother of invention. I have been able to build some of my equipment. In my business I have to be a jack-of-all-trades. I always have scrap and surplus rigging materials available.