Out with the old, in with the new.
Spring is in the air — and so is the dust collecting on your home gym equipment. It might be time to upgrade those 90s-era staples with the latest innovations in fitness gear.
REP Fitness has been at the forefront of equipment innovation, reimagining the products you already love with added versatility, smarter space-saving designs, and more efficient training options.
Here are the top pieces worth upgrading to — from racks that support Smith machine and cable training, attachments that add lower-body work to your bench, to curved treadmills that double as strength stations.
The Best REP Products to Upgrade Your Home Gym
- The Best Cardio & Strength Upgrade:Strive™ Curved Treadmill
- The Best Bike Upgrade: Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™
- The Best All-In-One System Upgrade: REP ARES™ 2.0 Cable System
- The Best Space-Saving Upgrade: Wall-Mounted REP ARES™ 2.0 Cable System
- The Best Rack Attachment Upgrade: Smith Machine Rack Attachment
- The Best Budget All-In-One System Upgrade: Altitude™ Power Rack
- The Best Bench Attachment Upgrade: Leg Extension & Leg Curl Bench Attachment
- The Best Dumbbell Upgrade: REP® x PÉPIN™ Fast Series™ Adjustable Dumbbell
- The Best Recovery Upgrade: High Density Foam Roller
The Best Cardio & Strength Upgrade:Strive™ Curved Treadmill
A curved treadmill is your ticket to increasing your mileage from the comfort of your own home, while also supporting better running mechanics that better mimic the feel of overground running. The Strive™ Curved Treadmill goes a step further with adjustable incline and resistance settings that let you increase the intensity, plus a dedicated Sled Mode that makes it easy to incorporate sled work into your strength block.
Tackle sled pushes with ergonomic handles and a heads-down display that keeps your metrics in view without requiring you to crank your neck, or attach the sled harness for secure backwards sled drags and backward walks.
Ideal for athletes who want to combine cardio and strength work in a compact footprint.
The Best Bike Upgrade: Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™
Sure, many of us bought air bikes and spin bikes during the pandemic — but is yours delivering the kind of training you actually want and need? The Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™ represents the next evolution of the at-home air bike.
Traditionally, an air bike’s resistance is determined by how hard you work: the faster you pedal, the more resistance you generate. With innovative Variable Pitch Resistance (VPR™) technology, however, the Strive™ Air Bike puts you in control of the fan blade angle, allowing you to fine-tune the resistance to match your training goals.
The Best All-In-One System Upgrade: REP ARES™ 2.0 Cable System
If you’ve got thousands of square feet to work with, stand-alone machines are easy to justify. But for us common folk, typical home gym owners, space is limited. The REP ARES™ 2.0 Cable Attachment is built for anyone who wants the functionality of a power rack and a cable system in a single footprint. Along with standard single- and dual-cable movements, the ARES™ 2.0 also supports lat pulldowns and low rows for even greater training versatility.
Get the utility of a power rack with the added benefit of a functional trainer — without giving up your entire gym to make it happen.
The Best Space-Saving Upgrade: Wall-Mounted REP ARES™ 2.0 Cable System
Short on space but still want to train hard? The solution is the Wall-Mounted ARES™ 2.0 Cable System. This half rack mounts directly to your wall for a secure setup while taking up less space than a traditional rack. With the addition of spotter arms, it gives you the functionality of a half rack for squats, bench press, and more.
You’ll also get the full versatility of the ARES™ 2.0 cable system, allowing for functional movements like Pallof presses, internal and external shoulder rotations, triceps extensions, and more. Plus, you can perform lat pulldowns and low rows by connecting both weight stacks with the 2 to 1 Bar Connector.
The Best Rack Attachment Upgrade: Smith Machine Rack Attachment
Upgrade your 4000- or 5000-series rack with a Smith Machine that attaches directly to your power cage. This attachment enhances your setup with smooth, guided vertical movement, making it ideal for refining form, adding support during heavy lifts, and training with more confidence when you don’t have a spotter. Adjustable stoppers and flexible rerack points add another layer of safety, while the 450lb weight capacity is drop-tested to support failed reps when needed.
Choose the bar path angle that best fits your training style with -5, 0, and +5 degree options, and set the low-profile safety stops lower to increase your range of motion.
It’s a major upgrade that expands your rack’s training potential while preserving the modular versatility of your setup, whether you’re pairing it with a rack-mounted cable system or other attachments.
The Best Budget All-In-One System Upgrade: Altitude™ Power Rack
When you’re clearing out old gear, you may realize it’s time for an entirely new setup. If budget is the biggest hurdle, the Altitude™ Power Rack offers one of REP’s most cost-effective options with both Smith machine and cable functionality. The Altitude™ Power Rack and Attachment Ecosystem was designed to bridge the gap between the 1000 Series’ accessible price point and the 5000 Series’ broader attachment compatibility.
Compared with the PR-5000, the main tradeoffs are a smaller attachment ecosystem and a 700lb weight capacity. For most lifters, though, 700lb is more than enough.
The Best Bench Attachment Upgrade: Leg Extension & Leg Curl Bench Attachment
If your adjustable bench is making the cut during your home gym cleanout, one easy way to expand its versatility is with the Leg Extension & Leg Curl Bench Attachment. This accessory replaces the need for stand-alone leg extension and leg curl machines by attaching easily to your BlackWing™, Nighthawk™, or ZeroGap® AB-5000 adjustable bench.
With three resistance options — bands, plates, and cable — you can tailor the feel of each workout while maintaining consistent tension throughout your reps and a strength curve that challenges your legs through both strong and weak positions. Plus, built-in transport wheels and two simple lock pins make setup and storage easy.
The Best Dumbbell Upgrade:REP® x PÉPIN™ Fast Series™ Adjustable Dumbbell
As you clean up your garage gym, it’s hard not to groan at the sight of a full wall of dumbbells. They may be one of the most essential and versatile training tools, but they also take up a ton of space. The solution? The REP® x PÉPIN™ Fast Series™ Adjustable Dumbbells deliver the resistance of an entire dumbbell set in just two compact dumbbells.
Choose the weight range that fits your training needs, with options from 10–85lbs, 10–105lbs, or 10–125lbs per dumbbell. And if you start with a lighter range, you can always expand later with Add-On Weight that fits directly into the cradle, up to a total of 125lbs per dumbbell.
The Best Recovery Upgrade: High Density Foam Roller
If you take your recovery seriously, and you roll out to improve mobility and reduce soreness, the old foam roller in the corner (collecting dust) is ready for an upgrade. The High Density Foam Roller is REP’s newest recovery tool, featuring elevated peaks that help target tight muscles and release fascia — so you can work into spots you previously couldn’t reach.
How to Know When an Upgrade Is Needed
One of the clearest signs it’s time to upgrade your fitness equipment is when your current gear no longer supports your training goals. This can happen if the equipment shows significant wear, no longer functions smoothly, or simply doesn’t offer the resistance, features, or versatility you need as your workouts progress. If your workouts feel limited because of your equipment — whether it’s a treadmill that can’t keep up with your pace or weights that no longer challenge you — it may be time to consider an upgrade.
Another factor is how your equipment makes you feel about training. Constant repairs, noisy or unstable machines, or outdated features can make workouts less enjoyable and even disrupt your routine. At the same time, upgrading doesn’t always have to be strictly practical. Sometimes investing in new fitness equipment is worthwhile simply because it brings you joy, motivation, and renewed excitement for your workouts.
Takeaway
Cleaning out your home gym does more than free up space — it gives you a clearer picture of what your gym is missing. Once you know which pieces still earn their keep and which ones are ready to go, you can make smarter upgrade decisions based on how you train, how much room you have, and what will bring the most value to your space.
FAQs
What's the best cardio equipment for my home gym?
First, nail down the type of cardio you enjoy, or at least, the type of cardio you want to do. If you like walking and running, the Strive™ Curved Treadmill provides with the added benefit of sled training. If cycling is more your speed, the Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™ allows you to control the resistance for sprints, up-hill slogs, easy cruises, and everything in between.
How do I know when I need to replace my equipment?
If a piece is worn down, isn't functioning properly, doesn't feel stable, or simply doesn't suit or support your current style of training, it may be time for an upgrade. In some cases, replacements are about safety; in others, it's about making sure your setup still matches your goals, space, and training style.
Rosie Borchert is a NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and writer whose work has appeared on BarBend, Tonal, ABC, Netflix, and Amazon Studios. If anyone would like to hire her to play beach volleyball, snowboard, binge watch TV, or go climbing, please get in touch.
This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT, for accuracy.
similar to this
VPR Air Bike vs. Standard Air Bike
Which type of air bike is right for your training?
Free Weights vs Machines: Which Is Better for Strength and Hypertrophy?
Get stacks. Get jacked.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Product launch information, promotions, blogs, and REP news.
