Home Gym

[e30addict]

Are these the mats you're referring to? https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...t-x--frac12-in

These are the ones that have been popular.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...bber-stall-mat

[e30addict]

Definitely not a one person job if stairs etc are involved.

Attachment 54355

Roll them up and carry them. Significantly easier to deal with then floppy and flat.

[MattR302]

Those are the ones I bought. When you buy them, roll them up and use a ratchet or cam buckle strap to keep them rolled up for transport and carrying into your house. Mine had a little rubber smell but it wasn’t terrible at all.

[MattR302]

On Memorial Day, I invited one of my gym buddies over for some socially-distanced deadlifts and beers outdoors. Our gym had been closed for 2+ months at that point so he was getting antsy. A piece of scrap plywood became a deadlifting platform on my back patio. We each had about 4-5 beers and did deadlifts for a little over 2 hours.

Pretty buzzed, he realized I had a bench inside and asked if we could bench press too, so we dragged the rack outside. Another 2 hours and 3-4 beers later and we were long past the “effective beer muscles” stage - the 15% ABV imperial stout we split didn’t help. Finishing set: bench press competition, most reps at 135 lbs, loser had to chug a white claw (we tied and each chugged one, gross).

Wife was very much not pleased with me that afternoon.

[Gixxer]

On Memorial Day, I invited one of my gym buddies over for some socially-distanced deadlifts and beers outdoors. Our gym had been closed for 2+ months at that point so he was getting antsy. A piece of scrap plywood became a deadlifting platform on my back patio. We each had about 4-5 beers and did deadlifts for a little over 2 hours.

Pretty buzzed, he realized I had a bench inside and asked if we could bench press too, so we dragged the rack outside. Another 2 hours and 3-4 beers later and we were long past the “effective beer muscles” stage - the 15% ABV imperial stout we split didn’t help. Finishing set: bench press competition, most reps at 135 lbs, loser had to chug a white claw (we tied and each chugged one, gross).

Wife was very much not pleased with me that afternoon.

Be careful, you only get one back. Pretty sure the first time I tweaked my back was lifting with a buzz



I’m more responsible now, I gave up lifting

[SteveM]

Where did you get that rack. I looking for something that is affordable, but separate from a bench.

[01xj]

Im in on the search for a rack too. Im good with a cheapo Amazon knockoff if anyone is using one they recommend. Rogue is way outta my budget.

[e30addict]

Im in on the search for a rack too. Im good with a cheapo Amazon knockoff if anyone is using one they recommend. Rogue is way outta my budget.

This is the rack I have now.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was on order when I found the whole setup in the pic I posted. It is definitely beefier then the cheaper one it replaced. I would have had no problem keeping the older one though. Neither is Rogue level but they get the job done just fine. It's kind like driving a Ford vs driving a BMW. I'd prefer one over the other but still get to where I want to go regardless.

[gixxer72]

Im in on the search for a rack too. Im good with a cheapo Amazon knockoff if anyone is using one they recommend. Rogue is way outta my budget.

I’d be cautious here. Regardless of how heavy anyone may lift, I’m not getting under the bar on cheap equipment I don’t trust. I split my head open doing cable curls on a piece of shit system back in the 90’s, never again. That said you should be able to find something decent for less money than the Rogue stuff. I wish I could remember the brand of cage I had previously (bought it nearly 20 years ago at Olympia Sports).

[MattR302]

Mine? I got both used in early spring, the rack off Facebook marketplace, and the bench off Craigslist.
Rack: https://www.bodysolid.com/commercial...lti-press_rack
Bench: https://www.bodysolid.com/commercial..._decline_bench
Leg attachment: https://www.bodysolid.com/home/glda1...per_attachment
I’m not telling how much I paid, but it was nowhere near those retail prices.
I wanted “affordable” but I also wanted something that was sturdy with a few hundred pounds on it. Luckily I was able to get both.

[Garandman]

Probably still not a good time for buying. When the gyms reopen, presumably Spring/Summer, stuff will be selling a lot cheaper.

Last Feb/March for his birthday and during break, my son asked for home weights. Didn’t want to give up the garage space but he was serious. He’s upgraded over time and sold the old stuff at the current prices which were 50-100% higher than we paid so it wasn’t costly. I’ll take a pic.

Disregard last transmission, over.

Weights were so hard to find my son bought some concrete and made two 25’s and two 10’s. He broke one of the 10’s and went to Play It Again Sports in Dedham.

Last February we were paying $19 for 25’s. At the peak, people were paying around $2 per pound. It was still over $1 a pound but they had inventory and prices are coming back to earth.

[SteveM]

I saw this, https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/sp...258663970.html

A part of me thinks we could get a group together to share the cost, truck it away, split it as needed and part out the excess fairly easily...

[FriskyDingo]

No mention of 2 of my favorite pieces of workout equipment for the past several years, kettlebells and the TRX suspension workout system.

Give em a look, great workout with minimal equipment.

Also another great item to up the intensity of multiple activities, weighted vest, I wear it trail running with the dogs, Mtn Biking and whille using the TRX system.


P.S.: anyone is RI or SE MA looking for plates or kettlebells there is a foundry in Cumberland, RI that makes them on site. Went with my buddy this weekend and picked about 1/2 a ton, great guy and good prices.

[BSR6]

I have a 2x2 Titan Fitness full rack which I paid $330 for shipped. The 2x3 racks are nicer but I have found the 2x2 just fine. Mine is rated for 800 pounds and from what I understand it's the catches that set the rating. The rack itself could probably hold more. Rogue makes top quality stuff but that level of quality isn't necessary IMHO. The two places you don't want to cheap out are barbells and benches. I have a rogue barbell and a Rep Fitness bench. Rep Fitness is another reasonably priced for the quality brand worth looking at.

I also have 4 pairs of weight horns, a landmine set up, and dip bars for the rack. On top of that I have 500lbs of bumper plates, barbell jacks, and Power Blocks (adjustable dumbbells). The floor is entirely covered with the Tractor Supply 3/4 inch stall mats. Off to the side the wife has a treadmill with a 32" TV hanging from the ceiling. The TV swivels so we can use it when lifting, or when on the treadmill.

I personally prefer full racks. You can squat and bench press in them alone with no worry of needing a spotter (as long as you set your safety pins correctly). I started with a half rack thinking it would save space but quickly found the footprint is almost the same. When you consider the storage options on a full rack, you're actually saving space over the half rack. When you start looking at the attachments you can add to a full rack, the possibilities are endless.

With the set up we have, there's no point in joining a gym. In fact, I now prefer working out at home. If you are an active person and working out has always been something you do, a home gym is worth every penny if you have the space.

[e30addict]

I personally prefer full racks. You can squat and bench press in them alone with no worry of needing a spotter (as long as you set your safety pins correctly).

Are you considering a full power cage the same as a full rack?

I don't have a fully boxed in cage, but the rack I got has spotter bars that still can catch the bar during squats and bench.

[number9]

I have a 2x2 Titan Fitness full rack which I paid $330 for shipped. The 2x3 racks are nicer but I have found the 2x2 just fine. Mine is rated for 800 pounds and from what I understand it's the catches that set the rating. The rack itself could probably hold more. Rogue makes top quality stuff but that level of quality isn't necessary IMHO. The two places you don't want to cheap out are barbells and benches. I have a rogue barbell and a Rep Fitness bench. Rep Fitness is another reasonably priced for the quality brand worth looking at.

I also have 4 pairs of weight horns, a landmine set up, and dip bars for the rack. On top of that I have 500lbs of bumper plates, barbell jacks, and Power Blocks (adjustable dumbbells). The floor is entirely covered with the Tractor Supply 3/4 inch stall mats. Off to the side the wife has a treadmill with a 32" TV hanging from the ceiling. The TV swivels so we can use it when lifting, or when on the treadmill.

I personally prefer full racks. You can squat and bench press in them alone with no worry of needing a spotter (as long as you set your safety pins correctly). I started with a half rack thinking it would save space but quickly found the footprint is almost the same. When you consider the storage options on a full rack, you're actually saving space over the half rack. When you start looking at the attachments you can add to a full rack, the possibilities are endless.

With the set up we have, there's no point in joining a gym. In fact, I now prefer working out at home. If you are an active person and working out has always been something you do, a home gym is worth every penny if you have the space.

This sounds like a great setup. Can you post pics?

[Garandman]

We purchased this squat rack earlier in 2020. Price at the time was $200. The bench we had was a little wobbly so ai used two hockey stick shafts to reinforce it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cap-Barbe...Rack/886005905

We bought this machine a few months ago. Price has not changed. We did some reinforcing.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Xtremepow...ment/362898166

[e30addict]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cap-Barbe...Rack/886005905

We bought this machine a few months ago. Price has not changed. We did some reinforcing.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Xtremepow...ment/362898166

That's the one I have now. What did you reinforce? The only time it feels excessively wobbly to me is if I slam the weights back on it after benching. Heavier loads from squatting don't seem to cause the same movement because the re-rack is more under control.

I thought about weighting the legs down more but it doesn't move enough to concern me, it's just not as solid as the Rogue stuff.

[BSR6]

This sounds like a great setup. Can you post pics?

It's in our unfinished basement so it's not pretty. There's actually a lot more room than this picture would lead you to believe. The distance from left to right in the pic is actually longer than it appears (more space between the treadmill and rack). That junk to the right of the rack (mirror, wooden box, and bag) isn't usually there. There's 10 feet between the end of the bench and a wall to my back and there's a wall a few feet to my left where I store a bunch of attachments for the rack and a few other bars (spotter bars for work outside of the rack, curl bar, tricep bar, and so on). The treadmill folds up and rolls easily for when I need to access the furnace. I also have a pulley set up that is mounted to the main beam by a chain for doing light pulley work (face pulls, triceps extensions, etc.). You can see the rope hanging on the hook next to the TV.

The goal was to line everything along the wall and have a lot of open space (which is on my right in the picture). Plenty of room for Olympic lifts, deadlifts, etc.

Sometimes I consider upgrading to a nicer 2x3 rack but I have so many attachments it would cost me a fortune to duplicate this setup. That's the thing about 2x2 racks...The attachments are a LOT cheaper. Especially if you go with Titan. It's not as nice but it works just the same.

[khuygie88]

No mention of 2 of my favorite pieces of workout equipment for the past several years, kettlebells and the TRX suspension workout system.

Give em a look, great workout with minimal equipment.

Also another great item to up the intensity of multiple activities, weighted vest, I wear it trail running with the dogs, Mtn Biking and whille using the TRX system.


P.S.: anyone is RI or SE MA looking for plates or kettlebells there is a foundry in Cumberland, RI that makes them on site. Went with my buddy this weekend and picked about 1/2 a ton, great guy and good prices.

You have a point of contact, call the office, or do you just show up?

Edit: Found their information and shot an email. Will call tomorrow if I don't hear back.

[Gecko]

Okay, I’ll play along.

The bigger mats you see are from Tractor Supply, both the heavy duty and medium duty ones. They’re great. I probably have over 2000lbs in Olympic plates and I don’t know how much in standard plates.

When we bought the house, the agreement was that I could take over the finished basement. So, most of my stuff is in the basement. However, I also have a separate setup upstairs for two stations of Les Mills Body Pump stuff (weights, bars and steps, not pictured below). The wifey likes it and I’ve come to appreciate it too (but not to the exclusion of other things). Also missing from the pics below is a Peloton Cycle I moved upstairs near the Les Mills BP set up. The wifey “thinks” she might want to start using it "sometime" soon. Ahem....

Now, before you say anything, I was never into Smith Machines either when I was younger. I understand the plus/minus of them. Now, for me, the plus outweighs the minus given that my 4’10”, 100lbs wife can’t spot and a shoulder issue makes it more difficult to press (decline, flat, incline, or military) with just an Olympic straight bar. Anywho....

So, this is the cardio area with a Concept 2 rowing machine and my road bike on a CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer.



The rest is weight machines:







This is a leg press machine I have yet to reassemble since our move:

......When I get motivated enough, it will eventually look similar to this:

Having basically two Smith Machines, these other pieces are mostly extras:






.

[gixxer72]

Okay, I’ll play along.

The bigger mats you see are from Tractor Supply, both the heavy duty and medium duty ones. They’re great. I probably have over 2000lbs in Olympic plates and I don’t know how much in standard plates.

When we bought the house, the agreement was that I could take over the finished basement. So, most of my stuff is in the basement. However, I also have a separate setup upstairs for two stations of Les Mills Body Pump stuff (weights, bars and steps, not pictured below). The wifey likes it and I’ve come to appreciate it too (but not to the exclusion of other things). Also missing from the pics below is a Peloton Cycle I moved upstairs near the Les Mills BP set up. The wifey “thinks” she might want to start using it "sometime" soon. Ahem....

Now, before you say anything, I was never into Smith Machines either when I was younger. I understand the plus/minus of them. Now, for me, the plus outweighs the minus given that my 4’10”, 100lbs wife can’t spot and a shoulder issue makes it more difficult to press (decline, flat, incline, or military) with just an Olympic straight bar. Anywho....

So, this is the cardio area with a Concept 2 rowing machine and my road bike on a CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer.



The rest is weight machines:







This is a leg press machine I have yet to reassemble since our move:

......When I get motivated enough, it will eventually look similar to this:

Having basically two Smith Machines, these other pieces are mostly extras:






.

Wow! Nice setup(s)!!

No shame in a Smith machine. I don’t like them for heavy benching (no arc), but love them for most other things especially military press.

[Vovchandr]

^ Wow. That is quite a setup. You win.

[gixxer72]

Had the small amount of cast plates I have blasted and coated. Cut my new 45's out of 3/4" A572 steel, and pencil ground all edges. I haven't put them on a scale yet, but calculations indicate the plates are just a touch over 45lbs with the 2" diameter holes, which is fine. Next up are two 100lb plates and a stack of 35's and 25's keeping the same OD as the 45's (like bumper plates) by using thicker/thinner plate material.

[number9]

It's in our unfinished basement so it's not pretty. There's actually a lot more room than this picture would lead you to believe. The distance from left to right in the pic is actually longer than it appears (more space between the treadmill and rack). That junk to the right of the rack (mirror, wooden box, and bag) isn't usually there. There's 10 feet between the end of the bench and a wall to my back and there's a wall a few feet to my left where I store a bunch of attachments for the rack and a few other bars (spotter bars for work outside of the rack, curl bar, tricep bar, and so on). The treadmill folds up and rolls easily for when I need to access the furnace. I also have a pulley set up that is mounted to the main beam by a chain for doing light pulley work (face pulls, triceps extensions, etc.). You can see the rope hanging on the hook next to the TV.

The goal was to line everything along the wall and have a lot of open space (which is on my right in the picture). Plenty of room for Olympic lifts, deadlifts, etc.

Sometimes I consider upgrading to a nicer 2x3 rack but I have so many attachments it would cost me a fortune to duplicate this setup. That's the thing about 2x2 racks...The attachments are a LOT cheaper. Especially if you go with Titan. It's not as nice but it works just the same.

This post was incredibly helpful, thanks for writing it all up.

I don't have an unlimited budget, but if you were to go with a Rogue rack for either a basement or garage, what would you go with? I want something that can take a pull-up bar, but my unfinished basement ceiling is about 93" high. It's obviously going to lose an inch or two when I finish it, so that's gonna get real tight...