Empower Women’s Home Gym

Universal gym and free-weight station all-in-one

If you’ve ever wondered “why doesn’t someone make a home gym just for women?” it seems you weren’t the only one. Danskin, the fitness apparel company well-known for a wide array of women’s workout clothing and fitness products now makes one - it’s called the Empower and it’s pretty darn good. Looks like at least one company is paying attention to the growing number of women strength trainers.

What is the Empower?

The Empower is a home gym, albeit slightly different than the bulky, weight stack-heavy ones you’re used to seeing. The bench is smaller and a more fashionable champagne hue, while the weight system is decidedly feminine - it consists of an array of colorful vinyl dumbbells.

How does it work?

The Empower has a weight cradle that holds up to 100 lbs of dumbbells, which is more than enough weight for most women. The weight cradle takes the place of a traditional home gym’s weight stack. If you’ve been strength training for several years you might find the Empower doesn’t offer enough resistance, but speaking for women like myself, I’d say it’s just enough.

When you sit or lie on the Empower’s bench you use the pulley system to lift the weight cradle and perform strength training exercises such as chest presses, flyes and curls. There is a lower cable provided for floor work and lower body exercises.

How much does it cost?

The Empower Home Gym is on the lower end of the home gym scale. The total set including pulleys and dumbbells comes in at just over $500, which isn’t bad considering you also get a 32 lb. set of dumbbells for a variety of free-weight workouts, something you’d have to spend at least an extra $50 for if you chose a home gym with weight plates, bows or bands as resistance.

Other Empower models include the bench alone or bench and dumbbells and cost between $150 and $250.

Why you should consider the Empower

• Saves space - There aren’t too many home gyms that can be folded up to 23 by 26 inches and stored against a wall. Take into account that the Empower also eliminates the need for a separate set of dumbbells and serves as free weight storage - and it starts to sound perfect.
• Variety of workouts - When the bench is in decline position you can use it to do gravity-resisted crunches and other ab work. Set it to incline and you’ll be able to do many of the same moves as when it’s flat, they’ll just target your muscles differently. Incline bench presses are great for working the upper chest muscles. When the bench is folded a cable can be used for floor and lower body work such as seated rows and hip adduction and abduction. Plus you’ll have the option to use the dumbbells separately from the machine.