Top 10 Most Popular Pieces of Gym Equipment

After much thought and consideration, the list is now complete.

It is with sincere regret that we must go ahead and disclose that certain items did not make the cut for the most popular gym equipment. Before we jump in, I think it’s important to let you know what didn’t make it.  

Unfortunately, the shake weight couldn’t shake its way into the top 10. I know, I know your arms have never been more “toned” since using it; however, it just barely missed out. 

Along with the shake weight, the Sketchers shape-up tennis shoes didn’t make the list either. Their rolling, elevated heel just couldn’t do enough to make the top 10 list. However, if we ever make a top 15 list, we will keep it in mind. 

The final piece that just didn’t quite cut it is the Vibro-belt. You mean to tell me a product that you just put on your stomach and abs start appearing isn’t in the top 10?! I regret to inform you that is correct. Contrary to some beliefs, abs do take just a little more effort and work than that - unless you are a male teenager of course. 

Okay, I know you must be wondering that if so many GREAT products missed the list, then whatever did make the list must be the cream of the crop. Well, you would be correct. While fitness fads and quick fixes will always grab headlines and attention, the top 10 most popular pieces of gym equipment stand the test of time. They are generally the most popular because they are the most effective. For my finance nerds, think of these 10 pieces of fitness equipment as the S&P 500. They are reliable and stand the test of time. Your returns from using them are all but guaranteed, given consistent, dedicated work over a long period of time. 

Unfortunately, real, lasting progress in any area takes time and dedication. So ditch the fads and invest in results.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the top 10 most popular pieces of gym equipment. 

These are in no specific order - mainly because many of them are highly dependent on another piece of gym equipment in the list. 

 

Barbell

You simply cannot have a list of the top 10 most popular pieces of gym equipment without the barbell.

In gyms and training programs all around the world, everyone knows that the barbell is king. 

Barbells have been a part of gym history for quite some time. Before there were ellipticals, bosu balls, and chest fly machines, there were barbells. 

Now what makes barbells so popular? I would argue the biggest driver here is that there are at least two sports that revolve solely around the barbell - powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. While the two may seem similar on the surface, they are quite different. Powerlifting is focused on three main movements - the back squat, the deadlift, and the bench press. Olympic weightlifting is focused on the clean and jerk and the snatch. 

These five movements are foundational to many gym-goers' routines. Whether or not the trainee even considers him or herself a powerlifter or Olympic weightlifter. These movements also make up the foundation of sports performance training. Football, basketball, and many other sports utilize these barbell movements constantly. CrossFit and functional fitness also borrow from these movements frequently as well. 

It’s pretty rare to see a consistent gym goer never touch a barbell. Barbells allow for easy tracking of progress - one week you bench press 205 pounds, the next week 210 pounds, and the following week 215 pounds. This ability to track makes them awesome for progressive overload - one of the keys to seeing growth in the gym. They also allow for much heavier loading than say a dumbbell or kettlebell. The other huge benefit is that they allow for maximum force production. Because you are able to train multiple large muscle groups and train bi-lateral movements with the barbell, it is an ideal tool for muscle growth and strength development.

Other incredible barbell movements include: bent-over rows, Romanian deadlifts, shoulder (strict) press, lunges, step-ups, and even barbell curls (just don’t do them inside a squat rack, please and thank you ~ sincerely, those of us waiting to squat). 

So obviously barbells are incredible, however, if you have looked for even a minute or two at all the options available, you may be a little bit overwhelmed. 

The first thing to consider is a male or female bar. This one is pretty easy - is the primary user of the bar a male or female? Okay, great, check that off. The difference here is two-fold - the circumference of the bar and the weight of the bar. The female bar has a smaller circumference and weighs ten pounds less. This is largely for pressing and grip reasons - generally, female hands are smaller. So the bar is designed to not let grip strength and hand size get in the way of a huge bench press, clean, or overhead press. Don’t worry ladies, there is still plenty of room on the bar to beat the boys. 

Now, if you are a female and don’t plan to do much Olympic weightlifting, you will be okay with a male bar. However, if you have the option, a female bar is slightly more advantageous.

The other main consideration is whether you want to go with an Olympic barbell or a power/ traditional barbell. Now there are a ton of nuances and variations within barbells that we don’t have the time to get into. However, one of the biggest things you will want to consider is whether you want a barbell that has the ability to  #1) be dropped from overhead and #2) rotate when performing clean and jerks. This type of barbell is known as an Olympic barbell. So if any part of you wants to perform snatches or clean and jerks - whether through the training lens of Olympic weightlifting, sports performance, or CrossFit - this is the bar for you. If you are a powerlifter through and through or have no intention of performing these movements - you can go with a traditional power bar. The ability of the bar to rotate may be just a slight hindrance to you anyways.

Bottom line: Barbells are king. If you are looking for the most tried and true piece of gym equipment, this is it. 

 

Rowing Machine

Have you recently mentioned wanting to go to Europe? Well, why not row there? 

I mean with the price of flights, it would certainly save you some money. However, you will certainly need to start training. I have no idea, but I think this is why so many people use the rowing machine. They are looking to take that trip at a discount. 

Okay, maybe not. However, rowing machines have grown in popularity recently. They have always been a staple for rowing crews, but the CrossFit "crew" has brought them into the functional training equipment space.

Rowing machines are popular because they are great for your cardiovascular system. They can be used for low-intensity steady-state work or high-intensity interval training. If you have tried either you know the rowing machine can fatigue you in a unique way.

The rowing machine truly gives you a full-body stimulus. 

As far as fitness equipment brands go, the big name in the space has always been Concept 2 or C2, as rowing machines become more popular there are a lot of brands stepping into the space producing similar products. There isn’t a ton of variation in types of rowers as they all work fairly similarly. Most use a fan as the primary way of providing resistance. The biggest difference is that there are a few companies focusing on smart rowers, meaning rowers with live classes and iPad-like screens. 

So who are rowing machines great for?

Truly just about anyone can use a rower well. Taller, bigger athletes are generally going to be able to perform better on a rower just due to size and strength, but anyone can get a great workout on a rowing machine. One of the cool things about rowers is that most stand up. So if you are looking at a rower as your primary cardio piece of fitness equipment, but are worried about space, don’t be. As long as you are using it in your garage, basement, or likely even a spare bedroom, you can stand it up. I would double-check the height of your ceilings and the length of the rower before banking on that, but it should fit easily. 

A standard rowing machine standing on its end takes up maybe 4 square feet - significantly reducing the footprint of your home gym or functional fitness space. 

 

Leg Press

The leg press has long been a staple in the gym and a pillar in the strength training equipment space. You can find it in just about any documentary of the golden era of bodybuilding, and its popularity hasn’t waned. 

Almost every commercial gym is going to have a leg press, maybe even two or multiple variations of the leg press.

The leg press is popular, but thankfully it is also effective. We can’t have another situation like fat-free diets in the early 2000s. 

So why is the leg press popular? Simply put, it works. The leg press enables anyone, and I mean pretty much anyone to gain strength in their largest muscles - quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Now, I know we just talked about how great the barbell is, and the "Barbell is king" crowd may push back on this, but the barbell has its limitations. Here’s what I mean, while the barbell squat may be the generally accepted best exercise for leg strength, there are many people who are just not ready to perform it or currently cannot perform it. 

I had shoulder surgery in high school. This put me out of commission for almost any type of squatting - front, back, and really even the safety squat bar (the gym I went to didn’t have a belt squat). So I spent many months on the leg press machine - it allowed me to place a significant load on my lower body with almost no upper body stress. 

Injuries are one example, but another is age/and or mobility restrictions. Some people due to mobility restrictions - whether through age or injuries - cannot get into correct positions to squat. Or maybe they can, but it is quite difficult and they are limited by their mobility more than by their strength. While this is something we want to continue to train and improve, (squatting is a necessary human movement) we also want to build muscle and strength in our lower bodies. So when squatting is difficult or limited, the leg press is an awesome tool. It removes much of the balance, mobility, and stability needed and allows the user to solely target the lower body muscle groups. 

Now there are multiple types of leg press machines - there are plate-loaded machines, selectorized plate machines, leg press machines with hack squat capabilities, and many more. 

The leg press/hack squat combo that relies on plates for its resistance is our vote for the best option.

Here’s why:  

#1) The leg press combined with the hack squat gives you the ability to perform two great movements while taking up the same space as just the leg press

#2) The plate-loaded machine will provide storage for weight plates - meaning you can keep those plates off the ground or take up space somewhere else in your gym. 

Leg press machines are a staple piece of commercial gym equipment. If you have the space they can be great for home gyms as well. They are pretty large, so unless it is a main movement for you, you may want to skip this machine when building your garage gym. 

Functional Trainer Cable Machine

Does a commercial gym exist without one of these - I certainly don’t think so. 

What we are talking about here is a variation of cable machines. From the large rig setups with the seated row, lat pull-down, and cable attachment on each side connected by a pull-up bar in the middle to the much smaller functional trainers like Body Solid and Freemotion have created. 

In most commercial gym settings, an upper body day is not complete without at least one exercise at the cable machine. 

These machines are popular because of their versatility. You can perform chest flys, lateral raises, seated rows, lat pulldowns, triceps pushdowns, biceps curls, glute kickbacks, and so many other exercises. It is hard to get that much variety from other pieces of fitness equipment - making it a great piece of functional training equipment.

The many options make functional trainers great for commercial and home gyms. They typically are popular among those who are generally strength training or focusing on bodybuilding. This isn’t to say that powerlifters, athletes, and others don’t use these machines, but just to say it’s not the main staple in their training. 

The constant resistance from the cables works great for those looking to spend a lot of time under tension and really chase that pump - especially the upper body pump. 

Now if you are looking at fitness equipment for a commercial gym, the sky is the limit here. You probably have enough room for the huge cable machine with the seated row, lat pull-down, chin-up and dip assisted station, etc. However, there are some really cool options when it comes to home gyms. If you are just looking for a simple solution to your existing power rack, most racks support cable attachments that are either plate-loaded or use selectorized plates. If you don’t currently have a power rack, you can consider a power rack and functional trainer combo. Or you can opt for a smaller functional trainer that gives you access to tons of exercise options. 

The functional trainer cable machine gives you a ton of exercise options in a way dumbbells and barbells cannot, making it quite popular among gym goers. 

 

Weight Plates

Batman and Robin. Michael and Scottie. Peanut butter and jelly. 

You know these are some of the greatest duos in history.

But as far as gym equipment goes, we’ve got an even better one - the barbell and weight plates.

As great as the barbell is, it is essentially useless without weight plates. For all the hype and love we have shown the barbell  - at the end of the day, it only weighs 45 pounds. As hard as you try, it is going to be quite difficult to build the physique you want with a 45-pound metal stick as your main piece of strength training equipment. Unlesssssss, you have weight plates. 

Weight plates are the sidekick every barbell needs.

The reason weight plates are popular is almost exactly the same as why barbells are popular - tons of use, easy-to-track progressive overload, and the ability to move large loads of weight efficiently. These reasons and more contribute to the insane popularity of weight plates. 

Weight plates come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Standard weight plates come in the following increments: 

• 2.5 pounds

• 5 pounds

• 10 pounds

• 15 pounds*

• 25 pounds 

• 35 pounds*

• 45 pounds

• 55 pounds*

As far as weight increments go, the weights with an asterisk are largely unnecessary. Here’s why - if you want to add 15 pounds to the bar just put a 5 and a 10, if you want a 35, just put a 25 and a 10, and if you want 55 just put a 45 and a 10. Especially when you are looking to cut costs or save space with your free weights, those specific plates are unnecessary. 

Another difference you may have seen with weight plates is the material they are made of. The two groups of plates are rubber and metal.

So what’s the thinking behind each group? Why would someone go with rubber over metal or vice versa? Well, there are a few things to consider here. The first is what type of training do you plan on doing in your gym?  

If you are a CrossFit or Olympic weightlifting gym, hopefully, you already know there is only one right choice - rubber plates. If you are a powerlifting gym - hopefully you know as well that some version of metal or steel plates is the right pick. However, if you are somewhere in between how do you pick? 

Well, if you plan on performing any Olympic lifting at all you need rubber plates.

This is because they are designed to be dropped - another name you'll see is bumper plates). This certainly includes CrossFit as well, although some Olympic weightlifters may have just audibly sighed reading this. 

However, if you don’t ever plan on dropping your barbell and plates - metal or steel plates will work just fine. They are generally a little bit smaller which can be nice from a space-saving perspective. 

Within the rubber weight plate group, you primarily have two types of rubber plates - crumb rubber plates and traditional rubber plates. The crumb plates are made of recycled tires and are black. These tend to be cheaper but just as durable. The traditional plates are the colorful plates you see in gyms. 

With weight plates, there isn’t a right or wrong choice, just the best choice for your free weights and gym.

If you want to drop your barbell - buy rubber plates. If you don’t want to drop it - either will work just fine. 

 

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are great. After all, what piece of strength training equipment takes up quite as much free weights space in commercial gyms as dumbbells? If your gym is doing it right, hopefully, you have the full range covered from 5 pounds to 150 pounds. 

Whether you are using dumbbells for curls, lunges, bench press, skull crushers, single-leg RDLs, or literally any other exercise, you can be sure they will give you a great workout - making them a great piece of functional training equipment.

I think the biggest mistake or frustration I see within the dumbbell versus barbell argument is that people aren’t using heavy enough dumbbells. There’s not much better than a heavy reverse dumbbell lunge or bench press. 

Dumbbells are one of the original pieces of strength equipment. Just google any old picture and you’ll see a grainy photo of a man with a curly mustache with a huge dumbbell overhead. I aspire to be him one day. While the picture may look odd, he was certainly onto something.

Dumbbells are popular, like other items on this list, because they are effective. Almost any exercise can be performed with them. 

I have recently started building a small home gym. I say small because I only have about half of a bedroom to work with. I’m really looking forward to the day I can go all out and design a garage gym in a future home. However, when considering home gym equipment, dumbbells were the first thing I wanted to get. Here’s why - they are efficient and relatively small. They are efficient because you can perform almost any lift you can with a barbell - besides probably the squat and deadlift. However, they are much, much smaller than a barbell, plates, and a power rack. I opted for adjustable dumbbells primarily because I could get a ton of weight options for about the size of a nightstand. 

I think this is the reason dumbbells are so popular.

Whether you are talking about an extensive collection at a commercial gym or one set at home, they allow you to perform a whole host of effective lifts. 

Now if you are looking at dumbbell options, you’ll probably notice there are three main types of dumbbells - adjustable, rubber coated, and cast iron or metal dumbbells. 

This is almost entirely a personal preference call. You shouldn’t be dropping dumbbells and even if you do, the rubber-coated ones aren’t designed for that. I think adjustable makes sense if space is an issue; however, many people prefer the feel of individual dumbbells in comparison. 

However you slice it, dumbbells are a gym essential and an easy add to the list. 

 

Treadmill

Treadmills have an argument to be the most popular piece of fitness equipment. If you look at any commercial gym, the most real estate is almost always occupied by the treadmill. I have a hard time saying “and for good reason” with this one. 

Don’t get me wrong, treadmills are great. I do think this is one piece of fitness equipment that is more popular than it should be - and I also think there are more fitness equipment brands geared towards treadmills than anything else.

Treadmills are seen by many as an easy access to getting into the gym. This is one huge benefit of them - they allow anyone to feel comfortable showing up to the gym. Unfortunately, though, they distract people from spending time strength training or trying other workouts. Running is an incredible workout and so is walking. However, solely walking or solely running is not good. Our bodies need strength training. Over and over it has been proven just how effective building and maintaining strength and muscle is for our longevity and overall health.

My other gripe with treadmills is that you can perform the same thing at a park or around where you live. You don’t need a gym to walk or run, plus you can get extra sunshine outside.

Now, I’m off my soapbox. Even with all that being said, treadmills are great in many situations. Some of those situations include running when it is too dark (early mornings or late nights) or too cold. For some people showing up to the gym is a huge win, so whether that is walking on the treadmill or hitting a leg workout, a win is a win. 

Now when looking at treadmills, there are a ton of options - anywhere from immersive class experiences with paid subscriptions to a walking pad from FaceBook Marketplace (if that even counts). 

Technology is one thing to consider if you are looking at a treadmill for your gym. Do you want the ability to take a class or feel like you are running in the Dolomites or do you just want to know your pace, heart rate, and distance? No wrong answers here. 

Another thing to consider is do you want a motor-powered treadmill or a manual-powered treadmill.

Motor-powered treadmills are definitely more common. These are the treadmills you program to a certain speed and then the belt and tread move at that speed and you must keep pace in order to not fall off (ouch). The other type of treadmill is the manual-powered treadmill. These have become more popular recently. These rely on the force of your running cadence to propel the tread backward and you forward. 

Generally the order of “easiest to hardest” for running is motor-powered, running outdoors, and then manual-powered. The difference is certainly noticeable but not extreme.

 

Stationary Bike

The stationary bike would have been on this list 40 years ago and still makes its way on the list today. 

Even with all the changes to the exercise bike, the bones of the popular piece of exercise equipment still remain the same. 

Gym goers across the world flock to the exercise bike - whether in a cycling class or just for general exercise.

Bikes are popular for all types of users - whether training for a race, trying to improve cardiovascular function, or just looking to get a good sweat in. 

The three most common are recumbent, air, and cycle bikes. 

Recumbent bikes are typically used as general exercise equipment. Typically users will spend 30-40 minutes on these bikes and work up a good sweat. They are popular in commercial gyms and allow the user to sit and pedal with their feet in front of them instead of underneath, generally making for a more comfortable experience. 

Air bikes can be one of the most brutal pieces of cardio equipment there is.

These exercise bikes are pretty noisy and have a giant fan on them. The resistance significantly increases the harder you push them. These bikes are great for high-intensity intervals. Just 20 seconds all out with a minute break repeated 4-8 times and you will be feeling it no doubt. 

Cycle bikes are more common in cycling classes and most mimic a road bike. These are great if you are training for a race or enjoy true cycling. 

Mixing up your choice of cardio equipment can be a great way to add variety to your workouts and help avoid injury. 

 

Power Rack 

A real gym has to have these - they are a key to strength training.

You simply can’t perform barbell lifts safely without a power rack - making it an essential piece of strength training equipment.

It’s hard to say these are “popular” but it’s also impossible to use the barbell and weight plates for squats without one. Plus it makes exercises like bent-over rows, RDLs, overhead press, and more much easier. 

A power rack is something most people probably don’t consider at the gym until they arrive to find there is nowhere to squat. Suddenly, you are waiting around, standing awkwardly in the corner waiting for Jaxon to finish his curls in the power rack. C’mon man. 

Most gyms have anywhere from 2-10+ of these. In my opinion the more the merrier. Power racks essentially give each member their own dedicated space to work out for anything barbell-related.

Power racks come in all shapes and sizes. There are half-racks - typically meaning you can’t lift inside the “cage”. There are also full power racks allowing you to squat and lift inside the “cage”. The half-racks are indeed about half the size, which is great for saving space. The only thing to consider is to make sure you have attachment arms or “spotter's arms”. These will help ensure you are lifting safely as you squat. 

A huge - I think often overlooked - benefit of a power rack is the built-in pull-up bar almost all racks have.

An even better bonus is to look for a power rack that has a multi-grip pull-up bar. This allows you to perform pull-ups and other variations of pull-ups such as neutral grip. 

A good power rack ensures that your barbell and weight plates get all the use you can squeeze out of them. 

 

Bench

If you’ve ever been to the free weights section of a gym on a Monday after work - you probably are thinking right now that this is easily the most popular piece of commercial gym equipment. I’m certainly not going to argue with you there. No one messes with international bench press day, and it is certainly no fun waiting for a bench to open up.

Now, of course, you aren’t waiting for the bench specifically, but for the strength training equipment trifecta - the bench, barbell, and weight plates.

So in that way, the bench is kind of like Phil Jackson if we are keeping with the Chicago Bulls reference from earlier. 

Since benches are so popular, maybe one day gyms will add a few extra to the fitness equipment order list, but for now, let’s talk about what makes them so great. 

Well first, obviously, everyone loves to bench press - and it’s pretty hard to bench press without a bench. There’s nothing quite like that chest and triceps pump from a good bench session. 

While the bench press is easily the most famous exercise performed with a bench, there are also a ton of other strength training options. Now assuming the bench is adjustable (easily the best type of bench) you can perform Bulgarian split squats (if you’ve done these, you know they work), incline bench press, incline dumbbell rows, seated shoulder press, seated good mornings, and many, many more exercises. 

Having an adjustable bench - just like having a power rack - opens up a whole new world of exercise selections. 

Honestly, the more strength training and home gym equipment you have on this list, the more exercise selection options you will have. The key is to pick the items that allow you to hit the most amount of exercises in your training plan, using the smallest amount of space, and all for a great value. 

 

Sources:

“Fitness Gimmicks | 15 Ridiculous Exercise Products.” Active Cities, https://activecities.com/fitness-gimmicks-15-unforgettable-and-ridiculous-exercise-products/. Accessed 1 February 2025.