The path to fitness is pavedwith visits to health clubs, where you will sweat alongside othergym-goers - eventually (assuming you stick with it) coming to realizethat everybody else is more interested in wearing stylish workoutclothes than in actually sweating and panting. But don't give up.Consider your financial budget, fitness goals, and available space, andbuy your own home gym. - Mark Henricks

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Does It All
Thebully of home gyms is the Titan T1, a Polish-built monster sold in theU.S. by Fitcore that rivals most club equipment. It's three-quarters ofa ton of lifetime-guaranteed steel racks, benches, cables, and machinesthat fill a nine-by-twelve room, and it offers the potential for 90exercises and a quadriceps-blowing 800-pound maximum. Budget $3,599 forthe basic T1 or $6,500 for the ultimate with everything except, ofcourse, the weights. www.fitcore.com

Budget Conscious
Eventhe nearly broke can buff up with the Band Flex Gym from StaminaFitness. For $360, you can do more than 60 exercises, and adjustableelastic bands safely generate up to 260 pounds of resistance. The BandFlex warranty is just five years on the frame and 90 days on otherparts, but if the equipment lasts even a year, you'll spend less thanwhat you would on club dues alone. www.staminaproducts.com

Personal Spotter
Freeweights build muscle better than bands or weight stacks do, but theyaren't as safe when used solo. The Caribou III System from YukonFitness Equipment ($899) addresses this dilemma by pairing a classicpower rack with a self-spotting Smith machine and adjustable spotterarms to help prevent uncontrolled descents. The Caribou is warrantedfor life and can be expanded with many features. Unfortunately, freeweights don't mean the weights are free: You supply your own barbellsand weights. www.yukon-fitness.com