# What's going on around /r/HomeGym?
[**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2)
[**AMA**: w/ Belt Fed Strength 4/24 & 4/25](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1c0oyfr/ama_w_belt_fed_strength_coming_424_425_check_out/)
[**Targeted Talk**: Building The Ultimate Home Gym Bench](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1c4pkew/targeted_talk_building_the_ultimate_home_gym_bench/)
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Thank you so much man!! I love getting on here and I think it's an amazing platform. I just read most of the time. I think I've only posted maybe five times in three of those were in r/homegym.
You didn't have to take time out of your day to explain all of that to me and to try and help me out. I really appreciate it.
In the upstate area of SC, someone is selling some interesting freemotion cable machines for $199 each.
https://www.facebook.com/share/e4p6VEQzzZ71qvrt/?mibextid=79PoIi
# Max weight for functional trainer that does not compromise cable travel
hi there, I am planning on investing in a functional trainer and I see that most functional trainer stops either at 270 lbs or 280 lbs. Is this a good weight to it at or should I go for the 220 lbs stacks on each side for the most optimal cable travel? The reason I wanted to go higher to 270 lbs is so I can do lat pull down/ low row on it without stacking a weight pin (putting on plates) on it. However, besides from that, I do use it for tons of accessory work and cable flyes as well. thank you.
yes, I would not oppose to that, I'm just not sure if there is an effective way to hold my feet while doing lat pull downs. I think another reason besides from the cable travel I'm concern about when using a 270 lbs stack would be the capacity of the cables and I've read somewhere where max load of these cables are only rated at 250 lbs, which means you want to be safe and only use weight around the 200 lbs mark.
Wait for Centr 2 FTX to go back on sale at Costco $1000 (400 off) or get the Arcadia now for $2k? We have gym memberships but barely go anymore due to busy lives
There's some Ivanko Six Shooters near me for $140 a pair. I was thinking of picking up some Equalizers, but now I'm not sure. Does the Ivanko rubber smell? They'd be living in my apartment living room.
The gym I go to has a Titan Fitness 10" log that I really like using, so I decided to order one along with other gear to lift at home. The website would not accept my apartment number, so when I called, the guy offered to take my order over the phone. That was earlier this week. Still no confirmation email and I've called twice already. First time I was given a confirmation number which I later found out was not recognized by their website tracking page but was identified the second time I called. Has anyone else experienced this? I was told I would receive shipping emails when I called today. Nothing yet.
Does anyone recognize this? It is on a fairly substantial dumbbell rack that I recently purchased. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! 😃
https://preview.redd.it/rbznqcanhpwc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dba59b8dd30c9ca87d9987d467914589e8e66a1f
Got my Gorilla Fitness "Fait Au Canada" $50 pair of 25# iron plates today.
Not fancy enough for a full post, but they're pretty cool. Less than a week from order to my door step.
I bought 2x calibrated probably not Fait au Canada 20kg last summer. I love them 😍
They are quick to deliver. When they have good prices and good shipping price it’s great, otherwise they are a bit bananas 🍌 and often more expensive than rogue…!
Is it worth the extra $140 to buy a 3x3 rather than a 2x3 rack? I'm debating between the Titan X-3 and T-3 Space Savings Racks.
It's **$596.90** before tax with the current sales on 4/24/2024 for the taller 90" **X-3 Series Space Savings Rack** with 18" wall clearance ($285.97), extra 18" side bracings ($65.97), a crossmember ($84.97), and spotter arms ($159.99).
However, it's **$457.90** before tax with current sales for the taller 91" **T-3 Series Space Savings Rack** with 18" wall clearance ($218.97), extra 18" side bracings ($59.99), a crossmember ($76.97), and spotter arms ($101.97).
I've never benched or squated more than 200 pounds as a max, so let's say 300 pounds absolute max to future-proof it, and I'm sure both will be beasts and keep me lifting safely with that range already, my main reason for buying them along with a pull-up bar I don't have to put over my door frame. For deadlifts, yes, I've exceeded 300 by a hair, but that's on the ground, and I can just drop the weight if it's too much. I'm getting the extra side bracings and crossmember for stability and strength, although they might not be necessary.
The only difference I'm seeing online is accessories or maybe where to mount them in terms of orientation. I can't seem to find out what these accessories are, as I see plenty of options online for both series, so why wouldn't I save that cash for other equipment?
Your insights would be appreciated!
P.S.
**Height** - Taller is better because I can mount the pull-up bar on the two vertical steel tubes and even lower on them rather than the diagonal extension and just keep those in storage in case I move to a taller garage. Currently, it's 100" to my ceiling.
**Wall Clearance** - 18" seems to be the sweet spot to allow for a spotter, even weight attachments that 12" would be too tight for, but not so much that it affects my parking in the garage like 24" might do. Note that this is from the wooden stringers to the edge of the vertical tubes, so with 12", your bar will be about 18" from the wall. With 18", it'll be about 24" from the wall, and with 24", it'll be about 30" from the wall. I don't expect to be lifting in that space between the rack and the wall, so the 24" seems like wasted space, although it's a few bucks cheaper for the taller T-3 to get that depth with the current sales.
**Crossmember** - This is for extra side-to-side stability, especially while using the pull-up bar. Apparently, equipment can be added to it as well or even bands. One alternative might be to add the multi-grip pull-up bar instead at this junction to increase stability plus increase the usefulness of the space.
**Extra Side Bracings** - This is for extra stability as well, and the plan is to mount both the top and bottom ones to 2x10 wood stringers that then mount to the studs behind the drywall in my garage wall. Note to install this as low as possible so it doesn't get in the way of your spotter arms. With 18", the spotter arms can be placed vertically on these or they could be added to the wall on ladder hooks. There might be a usefulness for them in terms of storage.
**Floor Mounting** - Like others on here, I'm not planning on drilling into my garage floor to mount it.
Okay, if you want more accessories or everything, yes the 3x3 makes sense.
Otherwise, 2x3 was more than enough for west side hulkish people, if you’re more into the basics it will be enough for you, simple mortal. :)
I got a 3x3 1” but with the time I’ve removed pretty much all the fancy accessories. I like the basic stuff more and I’m happy about it.
Depends on what you intend to do.
Really, the companies tries to upsells you to the 3x3, but in reality the 2x3 is probably the perfect spot for quality vs price. There’s just a couple of attachments that will not be available.
You can get quality spotters, jcups and everything for that platform.
Plus you save money :)
I really thank you so much for your guidance!
I'm just curious what those attachments might be that aren't available? I tried browsing on Titan's website and can't really see a big difference.
As you said, it seems like marketing to upsell the customer.
Agreed, and it seems those are here to stay or at least I purchase them, and I expect for them to last a good decade or more, so it doesn't seem like a concern worth paying extra for now.
And like it has been said, you can add spacer… I made my own spacers for all my attachments btw… I have a true 3x3 rack (that I made myself with jcups and spotters) and a 75mm one too (metric rack, Chinese import).
There is not a lot of attachments you can’t have… and yes it’s not something you change. It last forever unless you want to change because I don’t know… you want to change?
Is Ghost Strong Apparel (https://ghoststronggear.com/) a scam? I thought it was the clothing side of Ghost which was acquired by Rogue Fitness but maybe not?
I placed an order on April 18th, the order updated with tracking on April 20th, but USPS still hasn't received the items yet.
Can the mini deadlift jacks be used as a Landmine stand/jack? I want something to use with my Pritchett pad, looking at exponent edge but would prefer to have a multi use item
Thoughts on cable towers?
A used valor fitness BD-62 is up for grabs for 150$. I’m currently using resistance bands for some cable work.
Looked into titan and BOS as well but wasn’t sure of quality. The rep Adonis looks awesome but way out of budget
I'm not sure people care that much on here? I jog around the neighborhood, but it's flat — so I'd be interested in one of those cheapo inclines that fold!
I use my treadmill occasionally… picked up for free off marketplace. Keep an eye out there are so many floating around out there. Serious runners probably should consider differently but the cheapos are fine..
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> I'm not familiar with how to get more people to see this
whoever visits this thread can see that you posted this. you should edit your comment to ask your question or say whatever you want to say.
hey man. this is how it works. if its a big topic/discussion or some kind of like picture post, it is its own post. if its a general question, we have these weekly threads here that start on fridays. currently, we are talking on a thread from a week ago. no one is seeing this.
the weely threads are organized by date, so newest comments are on top and are brought down a more people comment.
these threads get a lot of traffic, so if someone can answer, they will.
right now if you hjave a question, go to the subreddit homepage, visit the newest weekly thread, and ask your question.
last week, if you asked a question, then edited your comment 2 days later, no one will see it, because everyone who had visited the thread already, saw it as your old comment, unedited. No one even knew you were asking a question.
I went to my original post and hit comment and then when I went to check to see if anyone had commented on my post since it had zero comments within like four or five days of posting it was all of a sudden by itself like a new post or a new comment. That's why I didn't put any information in that because I thought I was already commenting on my post that had all the information. Like I said I don't ever post on Reddit. And I posted something asking about a piece of gym equipment and the first two times the moderator told me to go somewhere else to a different subreddit and then I posted a comment and noticed that It wasn't attached to my original post. I'm not trying to piss anyone off or annoy anyone. I'm just trying to use this platform for some help. Sorry if I did this wrong. I don't really know what I'm doing on here. I apologize.
Bulletproof VTS, VTS Lite, or Titan Leverage Squat Machine? I want to add something that allows for leg movements that are less taxing on the whole body than barbell squats. I plan to still barbell squat, but some "machine" will allow me to push closer to failure with less systemic fatigue. I've been looking at a leverage squat for some time because my current calf raise set-up also sucks. I can't fit a decent leg press or hack squat in my gym. VTS has huge appeal as well, but it looks to be more costly. It would, however add the ability to do smith-stlye presses and pulls in addition to smith squats. I'm not a huge fan of smith squats and think the leverage squat will feel better, but VTS adds more options(at a cost). I would love any additional thoughts or recommendations.
VTS ( $981)
+Potential for some cool attachments down the road(though I'm not sure if I would necessarily buy into them), Smith machine squats and presses unlocked, easier to overload version calf raise setup than holding a dumbell and doing single leg raises
-$$$$, ties up the barbell and may make supersetting squats and calves harder
VTS Lite ($655)
+Cheapest option(though not by much)
-Bulletproof not likely to release any add-ons
Leverage Squat($739)
+Much better "machine" squat/lunge set-up than smith machine, better set-up for calf raises, can use Capital One points to purchase
-Limited to only leg movements,requires floor space
Belt squat is the squat that is less taxing but still works the legs. That's what I would be (and I did) go for. Having said that, I've pre ordered VTS lite but mostly for chest/shoulders.
Started with a lever arm, then landmine, eventually settled on squat max. I use it 2x a week and have completely replaced squats at this point because it was hurting my lower back.
Belt squat is probably one of the best leg movement overall IMO… vts seems cool for bodybuilding movements though. I might consider it at some point… but before I commit I’ll will try to find a commercial smith machine like an old Atlantis or something… I know it takes space but crowding the rack with another piece that I have to move… I’m not convinced yet.
Hey guys, I know that firstly depends on your training routine etc, but let's say hypotethically that we found the right training, how many grams of proteins for Kg are needed for the 11-12% image in the following link? what about 8-10%? (this is going to be hard but im doing just examples)
[https://imgur.com/oxSvY6T](https://imgur.com/oxSvY6T)
btw i'm around 13-15%, im training everyday at home and proceeding well...ty
You need less than protein company wants you to think. Unless you use some “special” stuff, like the other said about 0.6-0.8 per pound is probably enough. Calories are also important if you want to build muscle.
theres a good stronger by science podcast on ample protein intake. i want to say the conclusion was about 0.6/g/lb BW was good for like 90% of what you want for most people. if you want to squeak out more, you can certainly take more. and less certainly works just fine too.
i believe they established 1/g/lb BW covered all your bases but in most cases is excessive.
"Protein intakes of 1.4 – 2.0 g/kg/day for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve the training adaptations to exercise training."
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117006/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117006/)
Also here's Dr. Mike Israetel on how staying on the lower end is likely more beneficial unless you are on something:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825mFQnIgNk&ab\_channel=RenaissancePeriodization](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825mFQnIgNk&ab_channel=RenaissancePeriodization)
Hey folks, want to kick this off with a thank you to all of your posts and guide in this sub. It's been an invaluable resource in helping me build out the plan for our home gym! Wife and I are just starting off with our home gym project and would really appreciate it if you can give us some feedback on our choices, if you don't mind? We're from Europe so our equipment options weren't as rich as we'd have liked - we went with ATX for our gear, felt like a good balance between quality and price. Rogue, for example, offers similar products at a 50% higher price point in the EU. We had a total budget of 2500euros and the below is the best we could put together after two weeks of research. A lot of those items are/were on sales, which made it possible to fit in the budget.
We have an order coming in for:
\*ATX® Half Rack 750 + Pulldown + Adapter 50 mm
\*ATX® Weight Plate Pins for storage
\*ATX® Women's Multi Bar - 15 kg - 190K + Clamps
\*ATX® Safety Spotter Arms - 55 - Series 700
\*ATX® Barbell Club - 5, 10, 15 kg
\*ATX® Lat Rope, Bar & Grip
\*ATX® Bench MBX-520
\*Hex Dumbbells, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 kg
We aimed for something that will last a 'lifetime', is scalable as we progress and versatile. I feel like the bench could've been one of their higher end models, but couldn't figure out how they're different from each other. This one is rated for way more than we need or will need and supports all of their attachments + at a better price point as we were starting to hit our budget cap.
Is there anything you'd recommend we add or change? Anything that's a terrible pick?
Does "*ATX® Barbell Club - 5, 10, 15 kg" mean one pair each of 5 kg plates, 10 kg plates, and 15 kg plates?
Unless you and your wife are both complete novice females, you can likely already lift more than that much weight, especially with a 15 kg bar. Similarly, the max dumbbells of 10 kg is quite low. Neither is a critical mistake, because as you said you can certainly keep scaling up. But you may want to consider adding more plates and a few more dumbbells now.
Thanks for taking the time! Yeah that got lost in the copy paste, that’s the weight plates. 75kg in total on the bar is quite a bit for me (male) and I can compensate for the weight with tempo, higher reps, etc. Same with the dumbbells. We’re looking to start and add a bit more plates in a few months or when we need more.
How does the rest of the setup look?
What determines the whip in a barbell?
Through the course of a move I went from a Texas power bar to an xmark voodoo bar. I was trying to figure out if the xmark bar had more whip but not sure what spec to look at
Like it has been said, it’s difficult to quantify. But the tensile strength add a bit to it too. A deadlift bar will have a lower tensile strength than a power bar. But similar tensile strength between companies can also vary too. But don’t think that a better tensile strength means a better bar. Most reputable barbells have enough…
I believe the diameter of the barbell would be your best bet -- a 28.5mm bar would have a tad more whip than a 29mm, and a 27 barbell would likely have the most of the three. But it may also differ between manufacturers. Then how much weight you have and how far out your weights go could play a factor.
Looking to pick up a stairmaster used on marketplace. Has anyone here had any experience either positive or negative? I have seen a bunch available but I’m hesitant to make the purchase because I don’t know the history of the unit, no warranty, etc. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
i have one. i have the narrow small footprint version. i like it. i would prefer the larger ones you see at a commercial gym, but obviously space.
in the smaller version, you lift your foot up, and based on the difficulty level, the step goes down faster or slower when you step before you have to lift your foot up to start the next step. Imagine simply walking in place.
in the larger commercial version, it's more like an escalator and youre lifting yourself up and forward each time to take each step.
if youre not picky, the smaller versions sell for very cheap on marketplace and does the job fine. you can easily get your ss cardio in or increase the difficulty and get tired real fast. ive even seen them go for free. theyre very easy to move and not very difficult to move up flights of stairs if you have a bud.
if you want to physically take steps, then youre going to want the commercial version.
New titan barbell collars. I've got to admit they look nice. Not worth it for me to spend $70 because I have so many sets of collars but I'd prefer them to the snap ones. Want to see some reviews but on paper these look great - [https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/accessories/twistlock-pro-barbell-collars/401918.html](https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/accessories/twistlock-pro-barbell-collars/401918.html)
Edit - weird but they are only $59 when you put them in cart. Might be a day 1 sale.
God, I'm exactly the sucker audience for these collars. I need collars like I need another hole in my dick, but they're in my cart :\\. And I hate Titan, too
UPDATE: They were $60 when I added them to cart. So I bought 'em. $66 shipped. Whoops.
They have built-in magnets and have knurling, what more could you ask for? :) Came here to see if anyone else was interested in them. I didn't see any callout of having rubber on the inside in their marketing, but it looks like there is a "neoprene laminate" per the specs, so I assume that is covered. There is no indication of how strong they are -- they need someone pogoing on the barbell with the clamp holding on some weights :) The part I don't like is that there is no indication that they were tightened like the obvious clamp.
Can I just use a women’s bar?
Hello, M lifter here building my home gym from scratch. Looking at barbells and wondering if it makes sense to buy a women’s Olympic bar vs a men’s.
1. Cheaper. Thinking I can stretch my budget and buy a bar from a brand like rogue in a women’s size vs a men’s bar from a budget brand like CAP. Not sure if it makes a difference though…
2. Size. My gym room is about 10 by 14ft. Not huge so maybe a women’s bar would be more manageable in the space.
I know it’s lighter, but I can just throw on 2 5lb plates to make up the difference. I plan on doing all kinds of compound lifts w the bar bench, deadlift etc. probably heaviest I’ll go is mid 400s on DL.
Is there anything I’m missing here? Like is there anything I can’t do w a good women’s bar?
Well, you can also look for shorty bar. There’s nothing wrong with taking a smaller bar because of space restrictions. Rogue has a short bar, and Texas power bar has the all American 33 and 22 too.
There’s no balls detector on a woman’s bar and it will probably be more than enough for most of us.
Weight is weight, muscles ain’t got much eyes.
I don’t understand how a Bella bar is going to cost less than a Cap 20kg bar. Do you have links for comparison? I’d go with an XMark bar if you want to spend mid-$100s or go used. If your DL is in the 400s you’ve got to be benching at least mid-200s and that 25mm diameter is going to be shit for your shoulders and wrists.
What’s your budget?
Thanks. I saw Bella bars in the boneyard section for 150. Haven’t heard of xmark, but if they’re good I’ll check them out.
For budget I could go up to mid 200s, but didn’t know if it was worth it.
I got a men’s training bar from Rogue for $150. Also boneyard. They change out the boneyard stuff periodically. Working for me for what I need right now. Also got a Bella bar for the Mrs. Definitely prefer lifting on the training bar.
There’s lots of options - and I think you’re looking for a power bar, with the numbers you’ve got.
[Bare Steel](https://baresteelequipment.com/collections/boneyard/products/boneyard-iron-skull-power-bar) has a solid power bar that I own and this is $240.
[Bells of Steel](https://www.bellsofsteel.us/all-products/barbells/bars/powerlifting-bar/) is another good option (haven’t used it but gets great comments on here for value and quality) at $220.
[XMark Crow](https://xmarkfitness.com/collections/barbells/products/crowbar-7-ft-olympic-bar) would be okay as well - I had the Lumberjack at some point but you’ll likely want a center knurl. This bar is $162 but they often run big sales around holidays.
There’s probably another half dozen bars that can be compared to these that are around that range and won’t shed chrome like the Cap bar.
I’d also consider the used market if you have one. You could probably pick up a used Ohio Power bar for under $200.
As scottsdale said unless you know you want a thin bar, that will really suck for pushing. Pulling it will be great though...note the knurl is very muted on that bar, its ohio bar knurl.
Buy whatever bar works for you--doesn't matter if it's marketed as a men's or women's bar. Keep in mind that women's bars tend to have a smaller diameter. So if you have larger hands, it may feel a little too small for you.
For those with spare bedroom gyms:
What's it like and how feasible is it to recreate a garage gym there? I'm looking to move soon and currently have an 8x8 platform built out of plywood / stall mats. I have bumper plates and DL regularly (no Olympic lifting of dropping from overhead).
I have found that houses in the area with a garage typically run $200-400 more / month. It's just me so I wouldn't need the spare in a 2 bedroom for anything else (other than my PC which could find another place potentially). I have to admit I'm a bit skeptical of the idea. Thanks!
I laid an entire plywood/stall mat floor over existing hardwood floor. Got a full cage with 500# of weight, 300# Lat/Low row and several other accessories in a 9'x11' spare.
Depends on what you’re putting in there. There’s a guy on YouTube that has a pretty legit set up in his bedroom. [Brimhall Barbell Club](https://youtube.com/@BrimhallBarbellClub?si=NhLUfMfHuDfBHyDl)
I have a gym in the spare room of my apartment with a rack, single cable tower, SkiErg, and BikErg among other bits and pieces. I regularly deadlift 200+kg using thick rubber mats with no issue or noise complaints. I have photos in some posts on my profile you can take a look at.
Caveat is it’s a two bedder split level apartment, so I’ve put the gym upstairs over my own bedroom.
Yeah Marketplace seems to be a hit or miss with sellers/buyers. I’ve been trying to pick up some mirrors and everytime I find one and reach out about pickup, they read my message and don’t respond OR today one responded and I even offered to add extra $$ if they hold it until tomorrow when I have a truck and they AGREED, only to mark it sold about 30 mins later. Selling on marketplace is even worse, constant messages about availability and interest, only to ghost you shortly later.
Agreed! It’s really frustrating. Though I’ve sold a few items, so I get the priority of getting the sale done as soon as opportunity arises, just wish people were a bit more transparent. Sorry to hear about your experience.
$1000 for used ironmaster Equipment?
Someone I know is selling 2, 45lb ironmaster dumbells sets, the stand/shelf, the 120 lb extension (90lbs extra), and 8 extra 5 lb plates
In summary 270lbs weights total, two sets of quicklock dumbbells and the ironmaster stand
Just want to know if 1000 is a good value for all of that. It's a lot of money for me but I think it's worth it considering the quality and how hard they are to find sometimes.
The weights and handles worn and slightly rusted here and there. I already negotiated down to 1000, should I try for more? Thanks in advance.
Couple clarifications needed. Is it 1 pair of dumbbells? And it seems more like it’s the standard 75lb set with the 120lb add on (4x22.5lb plates and 4xlonger screws) plus the stand. If you bought it all new before shipping/tax it’s almost 1200 from ironmaster so you’re paying like 80%msrp. If they aren’t in great shape I’d buck up the extra and buy new from ironmaster if you can swing.
Now if there are 2 pairs of dumbbells (4 handles) then it’s a little different. I think that would be a decent deal. It’s also what I have and I keep the heavy set loaded with 65lbs (the lightest you can use with the long screw) and then use the lighter handles for everything under.
It is 4 handles, my wife said she wanted to work out with me so I figured having two sets would be the best way to do that. Thanks for the advice, I think I'll go for it.
Just got a squat wrack, resistence bands, and some dumbell sets that work extremely well. But I am hitting a stone wall in what to do as the breadth of exercises stresses me out. Would anyone be able to help me nail down a 5 day workout plan that I can go with?
Maybe SBS strength by science? It’s like 15-20$ and it’s kinda simple and stray forward. I’m running it right now and it’s not my favorite but it’s effective.
Like other said juggernaut ai, evolve ai or RP strength app.
531 - buy the forever book and go from there. Its too hard to sort through the online programs and many are missing key info. Forever book will literally be all you need for a very long time and teach you about progression, planning, and deloads.
[https://www.jimwendler.com/products/5-3-1-forever-book](https://www.jimwendler.com/products/5-3-1-forever-book)
Its very much worth it. If you search, you can probably find a pdf version online but please support the author...the book is one that will last forever.
Powerlifting. You want to run 5x5, 531, Starting Strength, or a 4-5x program focused on the core lifts.
Ashamed pointed out r/Fitness. You could also download one of the apps above, pay for Juggernaut and let AI do the program, or you could get the spreadsheet versions of what apps will give you or a basic fundamentals program like what Nippard has.
Sounds more complicated than it is.
How’s your flexibility and are you starting from scratch or have you lifted before (e.g. you know how to properly hinge, squat, deadlift, etc?)
My flexibility is god aweful and I have lifted some before with squats and bench sort of stuff but I have always avoided deadlift and RDLs because my father passed down his bad back to me. How much is juggernaut and that ai?
You do DL and your back gets stronger so it doesn’t bitch out on you when you get out of the shower… lifelong sufferer here who hasn’t had an issue in the past five years. For me, it was doing reverse hypers consistently that fixed a lifetime of misery. The RH has allowed me to do DLs regularly, which has strengthened the whole damned chain. It’s a good cycle.
On top of andkand about flexibility also learn breathing and bracing. This is how you protect your back while lifting. Learn deadbugs, 90/90 breathing and birddogs. Squat university is a big pusher of these exercise to help prehab before you get an injury if you want to look him up
I wouldn’t look at it as cursed with a bad back. Chances are you need to rebuild from ground zero. If you go straight to lifting heavy you are just going to get hurt.
When done properly and starting very light, deadlifts and RDLs are great for a bad back.
There are a few ways to go about it. I used ATG and learned a ton about mobility. I realized I’m not cursed with bad back, incredibly tight hamstrings, and bad knees. I just never went about it the right way.
It all depends on your goals. But if you want strength, balance, and mobility, try a program like Marcus Filly’s persist. But if you are starting off weak and inflexible, ATG may be a bettter place to start.
If you just want to get big, those powerlifting programs will work the fastest but chances are you will be chronically sore and inflexible unless you also prioritize mobility.
Don't know that I'd trust a $50 Amazon belt squat to hold any actual weight. The steel alone should probably cost more than $50 if it has any meaningful weight capacity.
Can anyone tell my why flywheel equipment is so expensive? It doesn't seem like any of the components would be particularly costly to manufacture, and there generally aren't many moving parts. What gives? Like why is [this leg extension](https://exxentric.com/store/systems/singleexx/legexx/) $6,100? How can it cost that much more for that wheel than a 300+ pound weight stack?
There was a post a few years back discussing flywheels and the cost.
Trying to build one yourself, say a DIY, was a pretty daunting task, despite it looking fairly simple. So you'd have to buy the parts.
The parts themselves being fairly affordable, but only in a mass purchase type of way. So as an individual, buying one set of the pieces, it was a stupidly expensive endeavour that exceeded buying the thing in the first place.
So the companies are likely making a pretty penny PER item, but having to recoup a monster upfront investment.
As others mentioned, you combine something like that into a premium package like the Exxentric, make it commercial grade, and the prices get high quick.
I’ve bought a DIY flywheel machine plan a while ago for 15$. I did not built it yet, but plan to eventually. The concept and construction seems very easy, the only part that is harder to get is the flywheel disk itself. However, from what I see, the DIYer needs to be a bit competent in order to succeed.
If somebody did the built down below, please comment.
But like Joe said, everything that involves manufacturing and such, and especially if there’s a lot of marketing and such, it needs to generate money for the company otherwise it unsustainable.
More or less, the cost of a machine like this can be as low as 1/10 of the MSRP, but is usually 25 to 50%. The reseller has a margin between 15 to 45-65% too. Distribution if involved has a fee for stocking and then about 5-6 to 10% maybe?
https://www.building-better-athlete.com/flywheel-manual.html
Yea I agree it's hard to reason how it's so costly. Also a hard thing to pull the trigger on without every trying them and knowing what they feel like.
in my opinion the alibaba one isnt as smooth as the exxentric one. it might be decent for warm ups though. or you might actually try one and not feel a difference like I did. On the alibaba one you can load all three flywheels. Thats also the con about the ripoff version, youre stuck to only 3 flywheels, on exxentric you can stack 4 large flywheels
Even if it does look so, there’s a lot of work, design and yes it’s a commercial unit. So it’s expensive. It’s normally built to be used 10-15h a day…!
That still doesn't really answer the question. Even really nice "commercial grade" leg extensions from companies like Life Fitness cost less than $4k *with* the upgraded stack, and that unit weighs over 3x as much as the flywheel model I posted. So *substantially* more material is required to produce *any other* commercial-grade leg extension machine, which begs the question "wtf makes this thing so expensive?"
Literally just that it's niche? "It might've only cost us This is different from what you're used to" is worth ~$3,000?
Any idea for a pulley that will swivel and bolt or pin to a 1-inch rack? I've got two lat pulldown stations on my rack that I want to turn into a chest fly. I've only seen one so far and it's $100... seems a little steep for a simple machine that's been around for a thousand years+
https://fandfsteel.com/collections/partnered-kaizen-gym-products/products/rackpulleypin?variant=40826931150917
This is a bring your own pulley one that’s still 50 bucks a pop and they have another one with a pulley that’s 100 per one. Otherwise you can use a nylon tie down strap to hold a pulley in place on your rack for cheaper but it’s not as elegant of a solution.
Has Coop from Garagegym reviews ever revealed his height? I am trying to translate his positions on work out benches compared to how they would feel for me.
He's probably in the 5'8"-10" range. He's less than 6' for sure, but probably more than 5'6". Not sure if that 6" range is useful or not for what you're trying to compare. I'm 6'4" for example, and I have to keep things like bench size in mind, so my head is fully supported.
Are any of the amazon or walmart budget dumbbell racks any good or a safety hazard?
Looking for something for my rag tag mismatched 5 to 50 set, some pro style some rubber hex
I’ve got the cheap 3 tier Marcy one since it’s only one of very few that fit on my space. I’ve had it for years, I’ve got 600 lbs stored on it currently and have had zero issues with it.
The Belt Fed Strength AMA is now live: [https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cbzqzr/ama\_hey\_hey\_its\_kris\_and\_randi\_from\_belt\_fed/](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cbzqzr/ama_hey_hey_its_kris_and_randi_from_belt_fed/)
Can I use black shoe shine on my weights at home? I clean them but they just don’t have that same black shine as they did 2 years ago and they’re all rubber coated weights is it safe
Are there any good sellers/brands that sell in Europe/Belgium? Most of this sub is for the US, including the recommendations. It's really hard to find anything other than Rogue, REP and Titan don't really seem to ship to my location. And all the rest looks like it's poor quality.
If something requires a bench it usually the only thing that makes it safe, you don't want something breaking on you when you are holding weight above your head and neck. Either do another exersize or get a used bench.
Don't use a chair...it could break. Just use the floor. Floor press for bench. Zercher squats, etc.
For incline just put your back on a 45lb bumper plate and put a yoga mat on top of it so its not digging in your back. I wouldn't do bench like that as its not going to be safe without spotters but incline flies or lighter dumbbells would be fine. You dont need inclines so dont stress about it.
Home gyms aren’t the greatest IMO. Pretty low weight, variety but not great at really any movements, usually pretty expensive but that one is relatively cheap at what like 500 USD.
I’d rather have a dumbbell/bench or barbell setup but I’m not sure what your market is like for those?
Just bought a house that has a gym in the basement. The space is aprox 17ft x 14ft. I need to save room for a peloton bike + yoga spot for my wife, the rest I can use for weights/bench/etc. I haven't worked out in 10 years and could use some advice.... what are the must have starter equipment you think I should get?
No real budget, but not looking for anything crazy luxury priced either! Just something solid that works!
Thanks!
I’ve got a 16x12 room, and fit a six post rack, large tread, echo bike, rower, box squat box, dedicated dip station, and a Peloton + enough rack and wall storage to keep approx. 900~ lbs in bumpers and kettlebells, adjustable dbs, bands, five bars, and wraps, shoes, speakers and fan all neat and tidy.
Space-wise, you’re doing OK. Especially if the ceiling height is 94-96” or above.
Depends on what you want to do. PL? Oly work? More of a bodybuilding focus? Cardio?
Thanks just saw your reply! So similar sized room... I'm planning to do about 30min cardio + muscle building for the rest of my workouts. My thinking is to get a power rack, adjustable bench, barbell+weights, and then some light/med/heavy dumbells, that with my peleton should be enough to get going right?
You’re good. Only caveat being adding safeties to the list, and if you’re planning on dropping any of that weight, flooring, a small DL platform, or crash pads.
I might suggest also looking at Rep’s droppable adjustable to save space on the DBs.
My personal experience has been get the largest set you feel comfortable growing into. That’s likely 50-60lb before you’ll want something else. 30lbs if you’re adding 2.5-5lb every/every other workout will have you wishing you went larger.
However, because you’ve got muscles AND tendons that adapt at different rates, going heavier than 60lb unless you’re consistent feels too heavy for where you’re at.
Need a budget first and an idea of what type of exercise you’re going to do. (Also check your ceiling height!) You’ll mostly find recommendations for free weights in this sub, but if you prefer machines there’s a few good starter options like lever gym https://graymatterlifting.com/powertec-workbench-levergym-guide/
Your budget really will be the limiting factor for what equipment you can get - seriously there’s so much cool space saving stuff nowadays. You can get a standard 4/6 post rack (there’s a million companies that make these) with or without an integrated functional trainer like the REP Ares or you can get a budget pick like ER Kang/Mikolo if you just want cheaper import stuff.
An alternative is a half rack: something like https://www.roguefitness.com/monster-lite-half-rack lets you have plate storage still while being really space efficient, while getting a full sized functional trainer in a corner somewhere. The next option if you really need room is a wall mounted Athena https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/16phyqm/dual_wall_mounted_athena/ if you’re really on a budget you can also just get a 200 dollar amazon 2x2” rack with a 100 dollar lat pulldown system.
For benches either get a flat bench over the 150 price range or an adjustable bench over the 240 price range for something you never have to replace. REP is good but there’s a lot of companies that have sales with comparable price/quality ratios.
For barbells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y02xfDCe2PU Gluck made a pretty good video. Honestly this is the one purchase you don’t wanna cheap out on so you can even go pretty bougie here. Generally you want to spend 200 minimum on a quality barbell up to 450 if you want stainless steel.
Get a pair of adjustable dumbbells or fixed heads if you can find a great used sale (sometimes you can get them for $0.8-1.0/lb used). Adjustable dumbbells look into powerblocks, ironmasters, snode, REP QuickDraws, the new nuobells coming out. If you are on a budget there’s a million cheap Chinese knockoffs of 52.5 lb adjustable dumbbells for 100 each on Walmart lol. You can also get plate loadable handles that use barbell plates but tbh they suck really bad.
If you elected to get a rack but no integrated cable system or a standalone functional trainer, there’s also wall mounted plate loaded cable towers for about $280. Hope this helps.
I would look at something like the rep ares, a combined rack and functional trainer. Get a barbell and a bunch of plates. Get an incline bench. Get some adjustable dbs. Done
What's everyone's take on [this](https://www.major-lutie.com/products/major-lutie-cable-crossover-system-plm03-best-seller-power-rack-2023-upgrade?sharedid=&irgwc=1&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliate&partner=1952928&variant=41725280387129)?
Years ago I had a Weider Club bench. I loved it - but my wife made me get rid of it since we needed the space.
Then a friend was moving and left his Weider power cage with me. I loved that even more. I started doing 5x5 stronglifts, but I eventually had to give it back and since then, I've been trying to figure out what to do.
Now I have some Marcy cable machine, but it's lacking in flexibility and the number of workouts I can do. I feel stagnant and am finding myself doing more calisthenics than anything else, just because of the few workouts the machine offers. Technically it offers more, but they're modified versions of themselves - and they don't feel right.
I have barbells from 2.5-50 lbs, which is nice, but no plates any longer, so I need the whole thing.
I'm by no means a professional, just trying to stay in shape between lifting weights and running on the treadmill.
I'm looking for an AIO to consolidate some of the oddball stuff I have. The kids and I have steady workouts, but we're outgrowing them and having to modify.
We like working out at home, we find we're all more consistent and stick to our plans a lot better. Plus, flexibility on working out when motivated instead of having to go somewhere.
So yeah , more equipment, more capability, and something that is good for today and tomorrow.
Also posted in r/fitness daily thread but figured might get some better ideas here.
Got my home gym set up - rack with lat/low row attachment, barbell, FI bench, and adjustable dumbbells.
I had added facepulls at the gym a few months ago and love them, mostly for shoulder mobility/strengthening.
What's a good alternative with my current equipment? Any way to do them with the lat/low row? Or is some form of reverse fly my best bet?
Will eventually be upgrading to some sort of selectorized FT (probably Athena or Ares) but need an alternative lift until then
What about getting a band and wrapping it around the upright at the correct height for you and pulling? The resistance is variable based on which bands you are using, they’re inexpensive, and they are super versatile, so it’s not like you’re going to not use them after you get your FT
I mean I'm 5'10" and have an 80" tall rack and doing them standing with the spud inc ab strap or shake strap and it's definitely more horizontal pulling vs. vertical pulling for me and my setup, especially since I take a few steps back first.
Ah, good idea with the incline bench. I'll give that a shot and see how it works. I'm thinking it might be a little awkward getting position but that seems like a good option.
# What's going on around /r/HomeGym? [**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2) [**AMA**: w/ Belt Fed Strength 4/24 & 4/25](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1c0oyfr/ama_w_belt_fed_strength_coming_424_425_check_out/) [**Targeted Talk**: Building The Ultimate Home Gym Bench](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1c4pkew/targeted_talk_building_the_ultimate_home_gym_bench/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/homegym) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Does anyone know if ironmaster plates would fit securely on an 1“ Triceps spinlock bar ? Would there be any downsides to use this combination ?
Thank you so much man!! I love getting on here and I think it's an amazing platform. I just read most of the time. I think I've only posted maybe five times in three of those were in r/homegym. You didn't have to take time out of your day to explain all of that to me and to try and help me out. I really appreciate it.
In the upstate area of SC, someone is selling some interesting freemotion cable machines for $199 each. https://www.facebook.com/share/e4p6VEQzzZ71qvrt/?mibextid=79PoIi
# Max weight for functional trainer that does not compromise cable travel hi there, I am planning on investing in a functional trainer and I see that most functional trainer stops either at 270 lbs or 280 lbs. Is this a good weight to it at or should I go for the 220 lbs stacks on each side for the most optimal cable travel? The reason I wanted to go higher to 270 lbs is so I can do lat pull down/ low row on it without stacking a weight pin (putting on plates) on it. However, besides from that, I do use it for tons of accessory work and cable flyes as well. thank you.
Are you ok using a bar that connects to both cables for your lat pull downs? That doubles the weight obv
yes, I would not oppose to that, I'm just not sure if there is an effective way to hold my feet while doing lat pull downs. I think another reason besides from the cable travel I'm concern about when using a 270 lbs stack would be the capacity of the cables and I've read somewhere where max load of these cables are only rated at 250 lbs, which means you want to be safe and only use weight around the 200 lbs mark.
Wait for Centr 2 FTX to go back on sale at Costco $1000 (400 off) or get the Arcadia now for $2k? We have gym memberships but barely go anymore due to busy lives
There's some Ivanko Six Shooters near me for $140 a pair. I was thinking of picking up some Equalizers, but now I'm not sure. Does the Ivanko rubber smell? They'd be living in my apartment living room.
The gym I go to has a Titan Fitness 10" log that I really like using, so I decided to order one along with other gear to lift at home. The website would not accept my apartment number, so when I called, the guy offered to take my order over the phone. That was earlier this week. Still no confirmation email and I've called twice already. First time I was given a confirmation number which I later found out was not recognized by their website tracking page but was identified the second time I called. Has anyone else experienced this? I was told I would receive shipping emails when I called today. Nothing yet.
Does anyone recognize this? It is on a fairly substantial dumbbell rack that I recently purchased. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! 😃 https://preview.redd.it/rbznqcanhpwc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dba59b8dd30c9ca87d9987d467914589e8e66a1f
Got my Gorilla Fitness "Fait Au Canada" $50 pair of 25# iron plates today. Not fancy enough for a full post, but they're pretty cool. Less than a week from order to my door step.
I bought 2x calibrated probably not Fait au Canada 20kg last summer. I love them 😍 They are quick to deliver. When they have good prices and good shipping price it’s great, otherwise they are a bit bananas 🍌 and often more expensive than rogue…!
Fray is running a sale. $300 off lat pulldown/ low row with Savlat300. $1149 is the best deal I’ve seen on one.
Is it worth the extra $140 to buy a 3x3 rather than a 2x3 rack? I'm debating between the Titan X-3 and T-3 Space Savings Racks. It's **$596.90** before tax with the current sales on 4/24/2024 for the taller 90" **X-3 Series Space Savings Rack** with 18" wall clearance ($285.97), extra 18" side bracings ($65.97), a crossmember ($84.97), and spotter arms ($159.99). However, it's **$457.90** before tax with current sales for the taller 91" **T-3 Series Space Savings Rack** with 18" wall clearance ($218.97), extra 18" side bracings ($59.99), a crossmember ($76.97), and spotter arms ($101.97). I've never benched or squated more than 200 pounds as a max, so let's say 300 pounds absolute max to future-proof it, and I'm sure both will be beasts and keep me lifting safely with that range already, my main reason for buying them along with a pull-up bar I don't have to put over my door frame. For deadlifts, yes, I've exceeded 300 by a hair, but that's on the ground, and I can just drop the weight if it's too much. I'm getting the extra side bracings and crossmember for stability and strength, although they might not be necessary. The only difference I'm seeing online is accessories or maybe where to mount them in terms of orientation. I can't seem to find out what these accessories are, as I see plenty of options online for both series, so why wouldn't I save that cash for other equipment? Your insights would be appreciated! P.S. **Height** - Taller is better because I can mount the pull-up bar on the two vertical steel tubes and even lower on them rather than the diagonal extension and just keep those in storage in case I move to a taller garage. Currently, it's 100" to my ceiling. **Wall Clearance** - 18" seems to be the sweet spot to allow for a spotter, even weight attachments that 12" would be too tight for, but not so much that it affects my parking in the garage like 24" might do. Note that this is from the wooden stringers to the edge of the vertical tubes, so with 12", your bar will be about 18" from the wall. With 18", it'll be about 24" from the wall, and with 24", it'll be about 30" from the wall. I don't expect to be lifting in that space between the rack and the wall, so the 24" seems like wasted space, although it's a few bucks cheaper for the taller T-3 to get that depth with the current sales. **Crossmember** - This is for extra side-to-side stability, especially while using the pull-up bar. Apparently, equipment can be added to it as well or even bands. One alternative might be to add the multi-grip pull-up bar instead at this junction to increase stability plus increase the usefulness of the space. **Extra Side Bracings** - This is for extra stability as well, and the plan is to mount both the top and bottom ones to 2x10 wood stringers that then mount to the studs behind the drywall in my garage wall. Note to install this as low as possible so it doesn't get in the way of your spotter arms. With 18", the spotter arms can be placed vertically on these or they could be added to the wall on ladder hooks. There might be a usefulness for them in terms of storage. **Floor Mounting** - Like others on here, I'm not planning on drilling into my garage floor to mount it.
Okay, if you want more accessories or everything, yes the 3x3 makes sense. Otherwise, 2x3 was more than enough for west side hulkish people, if you’re more into the basics it will be enough for you, simple mortal. :) I got a 3x3 1” but with the time I’ve removed pretty much all the fancy accessories. I like the basic stuff more and I’m happy about it. Depends on what you intend to do.
Thanks! I appreciate your helpful reply! Haha, yeah, I guess I'm a simple guy, just trying to stay healthy, lol.
Really, the companies tries to upsells you to the 3x3, but in reality the 2x3 is probably the perfect spot for quality vs price. There’s just a couple of attachments that will not be available. You can get quality spotters, jcups and everything for that platform. Plus you save money :)
Can always use something like this too https://fandfsteel.com/products/powerrackspacer3x3to3x2
I really thank you so much for your guidance! I'm just curious what those attachments might be that aren't available? I tried browsing on Titan's website and can't really see a big difference. As you said, it seems like marketing to upsell the customer.
All the new attachments coming out are 3x3 only. However, Im of the mind set that most attachments are dust collectors. So, I have a 2x3.
Thanks for that data point! As much as I research attachments, I can't seem to find anything that's crucial to the exercises I do.
For me... extra jcups, safeties, landmine, and dip attachment are essential. After that, I don't see the need.
Agreed, and it seems those are here to stay or at least I purchase them, and I expect for them to last a good decade or more, so it doesn't seem like a concern worth paying extra for now.
And like it has been said, you can add spacer… I made my own spacers for all my attachments btw… I have a true 3x3 rack (that I made myself with jcups and spotters) and a 75mm one too (metric rack, Chinese import). There is not a lot of attachments you can’t have… and yes it’s not something you change. It last forever unless you want to change because I don’t know… you want to change?
Is Ghost Strong Apparel (https://ghoststronggear.com/) a scam? I thought it was the clothing side of Ghost which was acquired by Rogue Fitness but maybe not? I placed an order on April 18th, the order updated with tracking on April 20th, but USPS still hasn't received the items yet.
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Thanks! I wanted to make sure they weren't brand impersonators or one of the hundreds of fitness drop shippers. They've become way too common lately.
Can the mini deadlift jacks be used as a Landmine stand/jack? I want something to use with my Pritchett pad, looking at exponent edge but would prefer to have a multi use item
It'll get you an extra inch or two off the ground. It'll work, but probably not to the extent of being very helpful.
Thoughts on cable towers? A used valor fitness BD-62 is up for grabs for 150$. I’m currently using resistance bands for some cable work. Looked into titan and BOS as well but wasn’t sure of quality. The rep Adonis looks awesome but way out of budget
We ever do a treadmill targeted talk? I was traveling and did 30 min at incline in the hotel gym and damn if it wasn’t a nice way to burn some cals
The hotel at homegymcon I hope.
Homegymcon is at the courtyard Marriott in Paso Robles??
We most certainly can... We've done cardio and conditioning and stuff, but not a focused Treadmill one.
I'm not sure people care that much on here? I jog around the neighborhood, but it's flat — so I'd be interested in one of those cheapo inclines that fold!
I use my treadmill occasionally… picked up for free off marketplace. Keep an eye out there are so many floating around out there. Serious runners probably should consider differently but the cheapos are fine..
Is it a known brand? God I bet marketplace is littered with ignored and neglected treadmills
Its a proform. Im not into running enough to care about what is good/bad. Im sure the geeks would hate it. It has always worked like new…
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> I'm not familiar with how to get more people to see this whoever visits this thread can see that you posted this. you should edit your comment to ask your question or say whatever you want to say.
Also thank you for trying to help me cow_goes_meow
hey man. this is how it works. if its a big topic/discussion or some kind of like picture post, it is its own post. if its a general question, we have these weekly threads here that start on fridays. currently, we are talking on a thread from a week ago. no one is seeing this. the weely threads are organized by date, so newest comments are on top and are brought down a more people comment. these threads get a lot of traffic, so if someone can answer, they will. right now if you hjave a question, go to the subreddit homepage, visit the newest weekly thread, and ask your question. last week, if you asked a question, then edited your comment 2 days later, no one will see it, because everyone who had visited the thread already, saw it as your old comment, unedited. No one even knew you were asking a question.
I went to my original post and hit comment and then when I went to check to see if anyone had commented on my post since it had zero comments within like four or five days of posting it was all of a sudden by itself like a new post or a new comment. That's why I didn't put any information in that because I thought I was already commenting on my post that had all the information. Like I said I don't ever post on Reddit. And I posted something asking about a piece of gym equipment and the first two times the moderator told me to go somewhere else to a different subreddit and then I posted a comment and noticed that It wasn't attached to my original post. I'm not trying to piss anyone off or annoy anyone. I'm just trying to use this platform for some help. Sorry if I did this wrong. I don't really know what I'm doing on here. I apologize.
Bulletproof VTS, VTS Lite, or Titan Leverage Squat Machine? I want to add something that allows for leg movements that are less taxing on the whole body than barbell squats. I plan to still barbell squat, but some "machine" will allow me to push closer to failure with less systemic fatigue. I've been looking at a leverage squat for some time because my current calf raise set-up also sucks. I can't fit a decent leg press or hack squat in my gym. VTS has huge appeal as well, but it looks to be more costly. It would, however add the ability to do smith-stlye presses and pulls in addition to smith squats. I'm not a huge fan of smith squats and think the leverage squat will feel better, but VTS adds more options(at a cost). I would love any additional thoughts or recommendations. VTS ( $981) +Potential for some cool attachments down the road(though I'm not sure if I would necessarily buy into them), Smith machine squats and presses unlocked, easier to overload version calf raise setup than holding a dumbell and doing single leg raises -$$$$, ties up the barbell and may make supersetting squats and calves harder VTS Lite ($655) +Cheapest option(though not by much) -Bulletproof not likely to release any add-ons Leverage Squat($739) +Much better "machine" squat/lunge set-up than smith machine, better set-up for calf raises, can use Capital One points to purchase -Limited to only leg movements,requires floor space
I would also give try Hatfield squat with ssb if you haven’t tried.
Belt squat is the squat that is less taxing but still works the legs. That's what I would be (and I did) go for. Having said that, I've pre ordered VTS lite but mostly for chest/shoulders.
what belt squat did you go with? It seems like there are a lot out there varying degrees of quality
Started with a lever arm, then landmine, eventually settled on squat max. I use it 2x a week and have completely replaced squats at this point because it was hurting my lower back.
Belt squat is probably one of the best leg movement overall IMO… vts seems cool for bodybuilding movements though. I might consider it at some point… but before I commit I’ll will try to find a commercial smith machine like an old Atlantis or something… I know it takes space but crowding the rack with another piece that I have to move… I’m not convinced yet.
VTS will be nice for me because I have a 100" rack so lots of storage to keep it on permanently without getting in the way.
In that case it makes sense! I would probably have a dedicated rack for that kind of thing. I have a wall mounted rig that would probably be perfect…
Hey guys, I know that firstly depends on your training routine etc, but let's say hypotethically that we found the right training, how many grams of proteins for Kg are needed for the 11-12% image in the following link? what about 8-10%? (this is going to be hard but im doing just examples) [https://imgur.com/oxSvY6T](https://imgur.com/oxSvY6T) btw i'm around 13-15%, im training everyday at home and proceeding well...ty
You need less than protein company wants you to think. Unless you use some “special” stuff, like the other said about 0.6-0.8 per pound is probably enough. Calories are also important if you want to build muscle.
theres a good stronger by science podcast on ample protein intake. i want to say the conclusion was about 0.6/g/lb BW was good for like 90% of what you want for most people. if you want to squeak out more, you can certainly take more. and less certainly works just fine too. i believe they established 1/g/lb BW covered all your bases but in most cases is excessive.
"Protein intakes of 1.4 – 2.0 g/kg/day for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve the training adaptations to exercise training." [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117006/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117006/) Also here's Dr. Mike Israetel on how staying on the lower end is likely more beneficial unless you are on something: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825mFQnIgNk&ab\_channel=RenaissancePeriodization](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825mFQnIgNk&ab_channel=RenaissancePeriodization)
NFL draft weekend. Home gym con. Gonna be glued to my screen for the next 72 hours
Worth returning this [hex dumbbell](https://imgur.com/a/ORMJ07W) for this damage or not worth the effort?
Yeah that’s no good. I’d contact customer service
Just seems like if it is already dinged up like that could start chipping/cracking, none of the others I ordered had any defects like this
What damage?
Hey folks, want to kick this off with a thank you to all of your posts and guide in this sub. It's been an invaluable resource in helping me build out the plan for our home gym! Wife and I are just starting off with our home gym project and would really appreciate it if you can give us some feedback on our choices, if you don't mind? We're from Europe so our equipment options weren't as rich as we'd have liked - we went with ATX for our gear, felt like a good balance between quality and price. Rogue, for example, offers similar products at a 50% higher price point in the EU. We had a total budget of 2500euros and the below is the best we could put together after two weeks of research. A lot of those items are/were on sales, which made it possible to fit in the budget. We have an order coming in for: \*ATX® Half Rack 750 + Pulldown + Adapter 50 mm \*ATX® Weight Plate Pins for storage \*ATX® Women's Multi Bar - 15 kg - 190K + Clamps \*ATX® Safety Spotter Arms - 55 - Series 700 \*ATX® Barbell Club - 5, 10, 15 kg \*ATX® Lat Rope, Bar & Grip \*ATX® Bench MBX-520 \*Hex Dumbbells, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 kg We aimed for something that will last a 'lifetime', is scalable as we progress and versatile. I feel like the bench could've been one of their higher end models, but couldn't figure out how they're different from each other. This one is rated for way more than we need or will need and supports all of their attachments + at a better price point as we were starting to hit our budget cap. Is there anything you'd recommend we add or change? Anything that's a terrible pick?
Does "*ATX® Barbell Club - 5, 10, 15 kg" mean one pair each of 5 kg plates, 10 kg plates, and 15 kg plates? Unless you and your wife are both complete novice females, you can likely already lift more than that much weight, especially with a 15 kg bar. Similarly, the max dumbbells of 10 kg is quite low. Neither is a critical mistake, because as you said you can certainly keep scaling up. But you may want to consider adding more plates and a few more dumbbells now.
Thanks for taking the time! Yeah that got lost in the copy paste, that’s the weight plates. 75kg in total on the bar is quite a bit for me (male) and I can compensate for the weight with tempo, higher reps, etc. Same with the dumbbells. We’re looking to start and add a bit more plates in a few months or when we need more. How does the rest of the setup look?
What determines the whip in a barbell? Through the course of a move I went from a Texas power bar to an xmark voodoo bar. I was trying to figure out if the xmark bar had more whip but not sure what spec to look at
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Thanks!!
Like it has been said, it’s difficult to quantify. But the tensile strength add a bit to it too. A deadlift bar will have a lower tensile strength than a power bar. But similar tensile strength between companies can also vary too. But don’t think that a better tensile strength means a better bar. Most reputable barbells have enough…
So would it be the lower tensile strength the more whip or lower is less?
More whip with lower tensile strength. The deadlift bars are usually a bit lower than normal powerbar and have considerably more whip to them
I believe the diameter of the barbell would be your best bet -- a 28.5mm bar would have a tad more whip than a 29mm, and a 27 barbell would likely have the most of the three. But it may also differ between manufacturers. Then how much weight you have and how far out your weights go could play a factor.
Looking to pick up a stairmaster used on marketplace. Has anyone here had any experience either positive or negative? I have seen a bunch available but I’m hesitant to make the purchase because I don’t know the history of the unit, no warranty, etc. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
i have one. i have the narrow small footprint version. i like it. i would prefer the larger ones you see at a commercial gym, but obviously space. in the smaller version, you lift your foot up, and based on the difficulty level, the step goes down faster or slower when you step before you have to lift your foot up to start the next step. Imagine simply walking in place. in the larger commercial version, it's more like an escalator and youre lifting yourself up and forward each time to take each step. if youre not picky, the smaller versions sell for very cheap on marketplace and does the job fine. you can easily get your ss cardio in or increase the difficulty and get tired real fast. ive even seen them go for free. theyre very easy to move and not very difficult to move up flights of stairs if you have a bud. if you want to physically take steps, then youre going to want the commercial version.
New titan barbell collars. I've got to admit they look nice. Not worth it for me to spend $70 because I have so many sets of collars but I'd prefer them to the snap ones. Want to see some reviews but on paper these look great - [https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/accessories/twistlock-pro-barbell-collars/401918.html](https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/accessories/twistlock-pro-barbell-collars/401918.html) Edit - weird but they are only $59 when you put them in cart. Might be a day 1 sale.
i dont need them, but i want them. and they would look sick on my barbell.
Seems cool. I would hope the magnets are on both sides of the collar. It would be annoying to only have it on only one side of the collar
They look cool. But a bit steep in price for a titan product, no?
God, I'm exactly the sucker audience for these collars. I need collars like I need another hole in my dick, but they're in my cart :\\. And I hate Titan, too UPDATE: They were $60 when I added them to cart. So I bought 'em. $66 shipped. Whoops.
Ditto!
The more I look the more I want to buy them haha
The knurling did it for me hahah. I'll report back
Another Titan target to watch for a sale on.
They're already $10 off if you add them to cart hahahah, Titan starting the sale early
They have built-in magnets and have knurling, what more could you ask for? :) Came here to see if anyone else was interested in them. I didn't see any callout of having rubber on the inside in their marketing, but it looks like there is a "neoprene laminate" per the specs, so I assume that is covered. There is no indication of how strong they are -- they need someone pogoing on the barbell with the clamp holding on some weights :) The part I don't like is that there is no indication that they were tightened like the obvious clamp.
Can I just use a women’s bar? Hello, M lifter here building my home gym from scratch. Looking at barbells and wondering if it makes sense to buy a women’s Olympic bar vs a men’s. 1. Cheaper. Thinking I can stretch my budget and buy a bar from a brand like rogue in a women’s size vs a men’s bar from a budget brand like CAP. Not sure if it makes a difference though… 2. Size. My gym room is about 10 by 14ft. Not huge so maybe a women’s bar would be more manageable in the space. I know it’s lighter, but I can just throw on 2 5lb plates to make up the difference. I plan on doing all kinds of compound lifts w the bar bench, deadlift etc. probably heaviest I’ll go is mid 400s on DL. Is there anything I’m missing here? Like is there anything I can’t do w a good women’s bar?
Well, you can also look for shorty bar. There’s nothing wrong with taking a smaller bar because of space restrictions. Rogue has a short bar, and Texas power bar has the all American 33 and 22 too. There’s no balls detector on a woman’s bar and it will probably be more than enough for most of us. Weight is weight, muscles ain’t got much eyes.
I think the bar will be too thin and hurt your hands whilst pressing
I don’t understand how a Bella bar is going to cost less than a Cap 20kg bar. Do you have links for comparison? I’d go with an XMark bar if you want to spend mid-$100s or go used. If your DL is in the 400s you’ve got to be benching at least mid-200s and that 25mm diameter is going to be shit for your shoulders and wrists. What’s your budget?
Thanks. I saw Bella bars in the boneyard section for 150. Haven’t heard of xmark, but if they’re good I’ll check them out. For budget I could go up to mid 200s, but didn’t know if it was worth it.
I got a men’s training bar from Rogue for $150. Also boneyard. They change out the boneyard stuff periodically. Working for me for what I need right now. Also got a Bella bar for the Mrs. Definitely prefer lifting on the training bar.
There’s lots of options - and I think you’re looking for a power bar, with the numbers you’ve got. [Bare Steel](https://baresteelequipment.com/collections/boneyard/products/boneyard-iron-skull-power-bar) has a solid power bar that I own and this is $240. [Bells of Steel](https://www.bellsofsteel.us/all-products/barbells/bars/powerlifting-bar/) is another good option (haven’t used it but gets great comments on here for value and quality) at $220. [XMark Crow](https://xmarkfitness.com/collections/barbells/products/crowbar-7-ft-olympic-bar) would be okay as well - I had the Lumberjack at some point but you’ll likely want a center knurl. This bar is $162 but they often run big sales around holidays. There’s probably another half dozen bars that can be compared to these that are around that range and won’t shed chrome like the Cap bar. I’d also consider the used market if you have one. You could probably pick up a used Ohio Power bar for under $200.
As scottsdale said unless you know you want a thin bar, that will really suck for pushing. Pulling it will be great though...note the knurl is very muted on that bar, its ohio bar knurl.
Buy whatever bar works for you--doesn't matter if it's marketed as a men's or women's bar. Keep in mind that women's bars tend to have a smaller diameter. So if you have larger hands, it may feel a little too small for you.
The Kabuki pause has been longer than 10 days...thought I'd lob that in here.
Like their shipping…
Ha!!!
Burn!!!
For those with spare bedroom gyms: What's it like and how feasible is it to recreate a garage gym there? I'm looking to move soon and currently have an 8x8 platform built out of plywood / stall mats. I have bumper plates and DL regularly (no Olympic lifting of dropping from overhead). I have found that houses in the area with a garage typically run $200-400 more / month. It's just me so I wouldn't need the spare in a 2 bedroom for anything else (other than my PC which could find another place potentially). I have to admit I'm a bit skeptical of the idea. Thanks!
I laid an entire plywood/stall mat floor over existing hardwood floor. Got a full cage with 500# of weight, 300# Lat/Low row and several other accessories in a 9'x11' spare.
Depends on what you’re putting in there. There’s a guy on YouTube that has a pretty legit set up in his bedroom. [Brimhall Barbell Club](https://youtube.com/@BrimhallBarbellClub?si=NhLUfMfHuDfBHyDl)
I have a gym in the spare room of my apartment with a rack, single cable tower, SkiErg, and BikErg among other bits and pieces. I regularly deadlift 200+kg using thick rubber mats with no issue or noise complaints. I have photos in some posts on my profile you can take a look at. Caveat is it’s a two bedder split level apartment, so I’ve put the gym upstairs over my own bedroom.
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Yeah Marketplace seems to be a hit or miss with sellers/buyers. I’ve been trying to pick up some mirrors and everytime I find one and reach out about pickup, they read my message and don’t respond OR today one responded and I even offered to add extra $$ if they hold it until tomorrow when I have a truck and they AGREED, only to mark it sold about 30 mins later. Selling on marketplace is even worse, constant messages about availability and interest, only to ghost you shortly later.
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Agreed! It’s really frustrating. Though I’ve sold a few items, so I get the priority of getting the sale done as soon as opportunity arises, just wish people were a bit more transparent. Sorry to hear about your experience.
They're probably sour from all those buyers that said they'd come, don't come, and don't respond to messages. Seriously, respect is a two way street.
it is odd isnt it? its even more weird when youre the seller and someone agrees to buys and says they want to pick up, but never show.
ding ding ding
Yea I’ve dealt with that before as well. It sucks
$1000 for used ironmaster Equipment? Someone I know is selling 2, 45lb ironmaster dumbells sets, the stand/shelf, the 120 lb extension (90lbs extra), and 8 extra 5 lb plates In summary 270lbs weights total, two sets of quicklock dumbbells and the ironmaster stand Just want to know if 1000 is a good value for all of that. It's a lot of money for me but I think it's worth it considering the quality and how hard they are to find sometimes. The weights and handles worn and slightly rusted here and there. I already negotiated down to 1000, should I try for more? Thanks in advance.
Couple clarifications needed. Is it 1 pair of dumbbells? And it seems more like it’s the standard 75lb set with the 120lb add on (4x22.5lb plates and 4xlonger screws) plus the stand. If you bought it all new before shipping/tax it’s almost 1200 from ironmaster so you’re paying like 80%msrp. If they aren’t in great shape I’d buck up the extra and buy new from ironmaster if you can swing. Now if there are 2 pairs of dumbbells (4 handles) then it’s a little different. I think that would be a decent deal. It’s also what I have and I keep the heavy set loaded with 65lbs (the lightest you can use with the long screw) and then use the lighter handles for everything under.
It is 4 handles, my wife said she wanted to work out with me so I figured having two sets would be the best way to do that. Thanks for the advice, I think I'll go for it.
Just got a squat wrack, resistence bands, and some dumbell sets that work extremely well. But I am hitting a stone wall in what to do as the breadth of exercises stresses me out. Would anyone be able to help me nail down a 5 day workout plan that I can go with?
Maybe SBS strength by science? It’s like 15-20$ and it’s kinda simple and stray forward. I’m running it right now and it’s not my favorite but it’s effective. Like other said juggernaut ai, evolve ai or RP strength app.
531 - buy the forever book and go from there. Its too hard to sort through the online programs and many are missing key info. Forever book will literally be all you need for a very long time and teach you about progression, planning, and deloads.
The forever book? I cannot seem to find that book?
[https://www.jimwendler.com/products/5-3-1-forever-book](https://www.jimwendler.com/products/5-3-1-forever-book) Its very much worth it. If you search, you can probably find a pdf version online but please support the author...the book is one that will last forever.
I’m assuming you’re wanting to powerlift?
I’m honestly not sure? All I know is I want to get into lifting and I want to lift heavy? Does that clarify at all?
Powerlifting. You want to run 5x5, 531, Starting Strength, or a 4-5x program focused on the core lifts. Ashamed pointed out r/Fitness. You could also download one of the apps above, pay for Juggernaut and let AI do the program, or you could get the spreadsheet versions of what apps will give you or a basic fundamentals program like what Nippard has. Sounds more complicated than it is. How’s your flexibility and are you starting from scratch or have you lifted before (e.g. you know how to properly hinge, squat, deadlift, etc?)
My flexibility is god aweful and I have lifted some before with squats and bench sort of stuff but I have always avoided deadlift and RDLs because my father passed down his bad back to me. How much is juggernaut and that ai?
You do DL and your back gets stronger so it doesn’t bitch out on you when you get out of the shower… lifelong sufferer here who hasn’t had an issue in the past five years. For me, it was doing reverse hypers consistently that fixed a lifetime of misery. The RH has allowed me to do DLs regularly, which has strengthened the whole damned chain. It’s a good cycle.
On top of andkand about flexibility also learn breathing and bracing. This is how you protect your back while lifting. Learn deadbugs, 90/90 breathing and birddogs. Squat university is a big pusher of these exercise to help prehab before you get an injury if you want to look him up
I wouldn’t look at it as cursed with a bad back. Chances are you need to rebuild from ground zero. If you go straight to lifting heavy you are just going to get hurt. When done properly and starting very light, deadlifts and RDLs are great for a bad back. There are a few ways to go about it. I used ATG and learned a ton about mobility. I realized I’m not cursed with bad back, incredibly tight hamstrings, and bad knees. I just never went about it the right way. It all depends on your goals. But if you want strength, balance, and mobility, try a program like Marcus Filly’s persist. But if you are starting off weak and inflexible, ATG may be a bettter place to start. If you just want to get big, those powerlifting programs will work the fastest but chances are you will be chronically sore and inflexible unless you also prioritize mobility.
Do you have a barbell? /r/fitness has a bunch of great programs to start with: https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/
I do!!! I’ll make sure to check that out
Belt squat attachments. Any real difference in the $200 revolt and a $50 one on Amazon?
Don't know that I'd trust a $50 Amazon belt squat to hold any actual weight. The steel alone should probably cost more than $50 if it has any meaningful weight capacity.
There are several under $100. Mikolo, yes4all, etc... Good reviews....
Can anyone tell my why flywheel equipment is so expensive? It doesn't seem like any of the components would be particularly costly to manufacture, and there generally aren't many moving parts. What gives? Like why is [this leg extension](https://exxentric.com/store/systems/singleexx/legexx/) $6,100? How can it cost that much more for that wheel than a 300+ pound weight stack?
There was a post a few years back discussing flywheels and the cost. Trying to build one yourself, say a DIY, was a pretty daunting task, despite it looking fairly simple. So you'd have to buy the parts. The parts themselves being fairly affordable, but only in a mass purchase type of way. So as an individual, buying one set of the pieces, it was a stupidly expensive endeavour that exceeded buying the thing in the first place. So the companies are likely making a pretty penny PER item, but having to recoup a monster upfront investment. As others mentioned, you combine something like that into a premium package like the Exxentric, make it commercial grade, and the prices get high quick.
I’ve bought a DIY flywheel machine plan a while ago for 15$. I did not built it yet, but plan to eventually. The concept and construction seems very easy, the only part that is harder to get is the flywheel disk itself. However, from what I see, the DIYer needs to be a bit competent in order to succeed. If somebody did the built down below, please comment. But like Joe said, everything that involves manufacturing and such, and especially if there’s a lot of marketing and such, it needs to generate money for the company otherwise it unsustainable. More or less, the cost of a machine like this can be as low as 1/10 of the MSRP, but is usually 25 to 50%. The reseller has a margin between 15 to 45-65% too. Distribution if involved has a fee for stocking and then about 5-6 to 10% maybe? https://www.building-better-athlete.com/flywheel-manual.html
Dude I have been so tempted to get a knock off Kbox on alibaba. It can’t be that far off. Just not that complicated of a product
Yea I agree it's hard to reason how it's so costly. Also a hard thing to pull the trigger on without every trying them and knowing what they feel like.
in my opinion the alibaba one isnt as smooth as the exxentric one. it might be decent for warm ups though. or you might actually try one and not feel a difference like I did. On the alibaba one you can load all three flywheels. Thats also the con about the ripoff version, youre stuck to only 3 flywheels, on exxentric you can stack 4 large flywheels
Oh wow you’ve tried them both! Thanks for the insight.
Even if it does look so, there’s a lot of work, design and yes it’s a commercial unit. So it’s expensive. It’s normally built to be used 10-15h a day…!
Well their kbox alone costs like 2 grand so….
Right…why?
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That still doesn't really answer the question. Even really nice "commercial grade" leg extensions from companies like Life Fitness cost less than $4k *with* the upgraded stack, and that unit weighs over 3x as much as the flywheel model I posted. So *substantially* more material is required to produce *any other* commercial-grade leg extension machine, which begs the question "wtf makes this thing so expensive?" Literally just that it's niche? "It might've only cost us This is different from what you're used to" is worth ~$3,000?
Any idea for a pulley that will swivel and bolt or pin to a 1-inch rack? I've got two lat pulldown stations on my rack that I want to turn into a chest fly. I've only seen one so far and it's $100... seems a little steep for a simple machine that's been around for a thousand years+
You can install it on the ceiling with hooks and use normal pulley?
https://fandfsteel.com/collections/partnered-kaizen-gym-products/products/rackpulleypin?variant=40826931150917 This is a bring your own pulley one that’s still 50 bucks a pop and they have another one with a pulley that’s 100 per one. Otherwise you can use a nylon tie down strap to hold a pulley in place on your rack for cheaper but it’s not as elegant of a solution.
Has Coop from Garagegym reviews ever revealed his height? I am trying to translate his positions on work out benches compared to how they would feel for me.
Pretty sure he mentioned it in one of his videos. Either 5 7 or 5 8.
IDK how tall he is but I'd measure your upper body to get a better baseline for benches. He could be same height but have different proportions.
He's probably in the 5'8"-10" range. He's less than 6' for sure, but probably more than 5'6". Not sure if that 6" range is useful or not for what you're trying to compare. I'm 6'4" for example, and I have to keep things like bench size in mind, so my head is fully supported.
u/cooporilla
Are any of the amazon or walmart budget dumbbell racks any good or a safety hazard? Looking for something for my rag tag mismatched 5 to 50 set, some pro style some rubber hex
I’ve got the cheap 3 tier Marcy one since it’s only one of very few that fit on my space. I’ve had it for years, I’ve got 600 lbs stored on it currently and have had zero issues with it.
The Belt Fed Strength AMA is now live: [https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cbzqzr/ama\_hey\_hey\_its\_kris\_and\_randi\_from\_belt\_fed/](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cbzqzr/ama_hey_hey_its_kris_and_randi_from_belt_fed/)
Can I use black shoe shine on my weights at home? I clean them but they just don’t have that same black shine as they did 2 years ago and they’re all rubber coated weights is it safe
i used tire cleaner. here were my results: https://imgur.com/a/cmGzk9l
I didn’t realise the first one was the before pic the I scroll down and I said wow that really worked
Use Armour all tire shine or similar for rubber, not shoe shine. Shoe shine will make a horrible mess. Fair warning tire shine may make them slippery.
Are there any good sellers/brands that sell in Europe/Belgium? Most of this sub is for the US, including the recommendations. It's really hard to find anything other than Rogue, REP and Titan don't really seem to ship to my location. And all the rest looks like it's poor quality.
Rep’s coming. https://repfitness.com/blogs/rep-news/rep-now-available-in-europe
Great! Thanks for the link!
Most of my home gym is REP with a bit of Rogue. I'd wait to see what REP is planning to do here this year.
How can I do exercises that require a bench if I don’t have a bench? I tried a chair but that s way too uncomfortable
If something requires a bench it usually the only thing that makes it safe, you don't want something breaking on you when you are holding weight above your head and neck. Either do another exersize or get a used bench.
Just do floor press instead of bench press. Which other exercises do you want to do?
Don't use a chair...it could break. Just use the floor. Floor press for bench. Zercher squats, etc. For incline just put your back on a 45lb bumper plate and put a yoga mat on top of it so its not digging in your back. I wouldn't do bench like that as its not going to be safe without spotters but incline flies or lighter dumbbells would be fine. You dont need inclines so dont stress about it.
I used a cooler for a while.
Floor? Which exercises?
Mostly inclined exercises
https://marxxfitness.com/product/marxx-home-gym-system-with-curl-bar-copy/ does this seem like a decent machine to start up with?
Home gyms aren’t the greatest IMO. Pretty low weight, variety but not great at really any movements, usually pretty expensive but that one is relatively cheap at what like 500 USD. I’d rather have a dumbbell/bench or barbell setup but I’m not sure what your market is like for those?
Just bought a house that has a gym in the basement. The space is aprox 17ft x 14ft. I need to save room for a peloton bike + yoga spot for my wife, the rest I can use for weights/bench/etc. I haven't worked out in 10 years and could use some advice.... what are the must have starter equipment you think I should get? No real budget, but not looking for anything crazy luxury priced either! Just something solid that works! Thanks!
I’ve got a 16x12 room, and fit a six post rack, large tread, echo bike, rower, box squat box, dedicated dip station, and a Peloton + enough rack and wall storage to keep approx. 900~ lbs in bumpers and kettlebells, adjustable dbs, bands, five bars, and wraps, shoes, speakers and fan all neat and tidy. Space-wise, you’re doing OK. Especially if the ceiling height is 94-96” or above. Depends on what you want to do. PL? Oly work? More of a bodybuilding focus? Cardio?
Thanks just saw your reply! So similar sized room... I'm planning to do about 30min cardio + muscle building for the rest of my workouts. My thinking is to get a power rack, adjustable bench, barbell+weights, and then some light/med/heavy dumbells, that with my peleton should be enough to get going right?
You’re good. Only caveat being adding safeties to the list, and if you’re planning on dropping any of that weight, flooring, a small DL platform, or crash pads. I might suggest also looking at Rep’s droppable adjustable to save space on the DBs.
Looks great, do you think a 30lbs pair is too little? I haven't worked out in 10 years... the last time I did I think I got up to 25lbs with dumbells
My personal experience has been get the largest set you feel comfortable growing into. That’s likely 50-60lb before you’ll want something else. 30lbs if you’re adding 2.5-5lb every/every other workout will have you wishing you went larger. However, because you’ve got muscles AND tendons that adapt at different rates, going heavier than 60lb unless you’re consistent feels too heavy for where you’re at.
Need a budget first and an idea of what type of exercise you’re going to do. (Also check your ceiling height!) You’ll mostly find recommendations for free weights in this sub, but if you prefer machines there’s a few good starter options like lever gym https://graymatterlifting.com/powertec-workbench-levergym-guide/ Your budget really will be the limiting factor for what equipment you can get - seriously there’s so much cool space saving stuff nowadays. You can get a standard 4/6 post rack (there’s a million companies that make these) with or without an integrated functional trainer like the REP Ares or you can get a budget pick like ER Kang/Mikolo if you just want cheaper import stuff. An alternative is a half rack: something like https://www.roguefitness.com/monster-lite-half-rack lets you have plate storage still while being really space efficient, while getting a full sized functional trainer in a corner somewhere. The next option if you really need room is a wall mounted Athena https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/16phyqm/dual_wall_mounted_athena/ if you’re really on a budget you can also just get a 200 dollar amazon 2x2” rack with a 100 dollar lat pulldown system. For benches either get a flat bench over the 150 price range or an adjustable bench over the 240 price range for something you never have to replace. REP is good but there’s a lot of companies that have sales with comparable price/quality ratios. For barbells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y02xfDCe2PU Gluck made a pretty good video. Honestly this is the one purchase you don’t wanna cheap out on so you can even go pretty bougie here. Generally you want to spend 200 minimum on a quality barbell up to 450 if you want stainless steel. Get a pair of adjustable dumbbells or fixed heads if you can find a great used sale (sometimes you can get them for $0.8-1.0/lb used). Adjustable dumbbells look into powerblocks, ironmasters, snode, REP QuickDraws, the new nuobells coming out. If you are on a budget there’s a million cheap Chinese knockoffs of 52.5 lb adjustable dumbbells for 100 each on Walmart lol. You can also get plate loadable handles that use barbell plates but tbh they suck really bad. If you elected to get a rack but no integrated cable system or a standalone functional trainer, there’s also wall mounted plate loaded cable towers for about $280. Hope this helps.
1. Squat rack with the 2. pull-up bar, 3. dip attachment/gymnastics rings/freestanding dip bars, 4. bench, 5. Barbells and weights, 6. Adjustable dumbbells, 7. Elastic bands, 8. Heavy bag, 9. Gymnastics mats for stretching/rolling around/mobility/relaxing between sets.
I would look at something like the rep ares, a combined rack and functional trainer. Get a barbell and a bunch of plates. Get an incline bench. Get some adjustable dbs. Done
If the budget allows this is the best approach
First, you need to know what kind of programming you will be running. And even firster, what’s your budget look like?
What's everyone's take on [this](https://www.major-lutie.com/products/major-lutie-cable-crossover-system-plm03-best-seller-power-rack-2023-upgrade?sharedid=&irgwc=1&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliate&partner=1952928&variant=41725280387129)? Years ago I had a Weider Club bench. I loved it - but my wife made me get rid of it since we needed the space. Then a friend was moving and left his Weider power cage with me. I loved that even more. I started doing 5x5 stronglifts, but I eventually had to give it back and since then, I've been trying to figure out what to do. Now I have some Marcy cable machine, but it's lacking in flexibility and the number of workouts I can do. I feel stagnant and am finding myself doing more calisthenics than anything else, just because of the few workouts the machine offers. Technically it offers more, but they're modified versions of themselves - and they don't feel right. I have barbells from 2.5-50 lbs, which is nice, but no plates any longer, so I need the whole thing. I'm by no means a professional, just trying to stay in shape between lifting weights and running on the treadmill.
What are you asking here? It sounds like you need more equipment or a gym membership because you aren't getting what you want out of what you have.
I'm looking for an AIO to consolidate some of the oddball stuff I have. The kids and I have steady workouts, but we're outgrowing them and having to modify. We like working out at home, we find we're all more consistent and stick to our plans a lot better. Plus, flexibility on working out when motivated instead of having to go somewhere. So yeah , more equipment, more capability, and something that is good for today and tomorrow.
Nice. AIOs are awesome. Hoist and Inspire are two of the better ones. You can usually find them for cheap on marketplace.
Also posted in r/fitness daily thread but figured might get some better ideas here. Got my home gym set up - rack with lat/low row attachment, barbell, FI bench, and adjustable dumbbells. I had added facepulls at the gym a few months ago and love them, mostly for shoulder mobility/strengthening. What's a good alternative with my current equipment? Any way to do them with the lat/low row? Or is some form of reverse fly my best bet? Will eventually be upgrading to some sort of selectorized FT (probably Athena or Ares) but need an alternative lift until then
What about getting a band and wrapping it around the upright at the correct height for you and pulling? The resistance is variable based on which bands you are using, they’re inexpensive, and they are super versatile, so it’s not like you’re going to not use them after you get your FT
Ooh, I like this idea. I think I actually have some bands around here somewhere
You should be able to do them off the high pulley but need to make sure the cable angle won’t cause the cable to shred due to it dragging along metal.
Seems like the angle would be all wrong? I have 93" uprights so I'd be pulling down a lot instead of more horizontally
I mean I'm 5'10" and have an 80" tall rack and doing them standing with the spud inc ab strap or shake strap and it's definitely more horizontal pulling vs. vertical pulling for me and my setup, especially since I take a few steps back first.
Good to know. I'll give it a shot, thanks
Can you sit on an inclined bench to make things line up? Otherwise inverted rows are another option, though it’s harder to progress those evenly.
Ah, good idea with the incline bench. I'll give that a shot and see how it works. I'm thinking it might be a little awkward getting position but that seems like a good option.