Hi All,

I'm seriously considering outfitting my garage with some gym equipment and looking for ideas. How have you outfitted your home/garage gyms?

I'm planning on starting out with the StrongLifts 5x5 program.

I'm looking for advice on:

• Standard vs Olympic bars and plates
• Recommendations on benches and racks
• Regarding the racks, is a "full size" rack/cage necessary? Are the adjustable/sliding racks adequate for squats/overhead press? Or should I be looking at a cage with adjustable J-cups to suit these needs?
• What other considerations am I missing?

Thanks in advance!
Pharmer

when I get the space for it in my garage, I think I'm going to get the Titan HD power rack. Good value rack that fits a lot of needs for me.

I bought the full Hoist PTS system about 5 years ago and am very happy with it. This is probably the best home gym system out there. I used to be a personal trainer, so I was very thorough in my search.

It has pretty much everything you need ... even if you were training for a competition. I purchased a standard barbell too, so it also functions as a full power rack system. If you buy adjustable dumbbells, you'll have everything you need.

The only pieces it's missing are the high end leg machines like leg press, leg extensions, and leg curls. I go to the gym for those.

Here's a cheesy little review that I found with a quick search...

quote:

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It has pretty much everything you need ... even if you were training for a competition.

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Isn't the bar weight only 30lbs and the collars only large enough to hold 4-plates? Last time I was in one I couldn't get wide enough for squats due to the cage being narrow and it only held 4 plates, which was only 390lbs due to the lightweight bar.

I bought the EliteFTS SOYG package, which they no longer offer unfortunately. However,if you call them and tell them what you are wanting to do and your budget they will put something together for you.

I have a full cage, Texas Power Bar, a large stack of plates, drag sled, flat bench and some rubber mats for deadlifts. Even with out the drag sled just a good bar, good cage and plates will get you started on the right path.

Anyone use rogue fitness products? I regularly get ads for them on Facebook and will be in the market within the next year.

Fitness Gear Pro OB|600 - Olympic bar (a must) + plate tree with a few kettle bells. Good for quick workouts when gym is not an option. Purchased from Dicks (buy bar and weight set in store to save shipping - OS-3002)

Rogue makes some quality products. I bought the Rogue Economy Bar and Bumper Plates about 2 1/2 years ago and have been very pleased with them.

Olympic.

Cage - go with what DB said or check out Texas Strength Systems. If you are going to be lifting by yourself a cage is vital for your safety.

Adjustable bench.

A barbell, plates, bench, some mats and a good cage is all you need.

http://www.pro-elite.com/

I've got a pretty nice set up in my house. I'd definitely go with Olympic weights and the 45 lb bar as a starting point. I'd also highly recommend NY barbells for your weights. I've purchased almost exclusively from them and I've been pretty pleased with the value I've received. There my be better weights out there, but for me and my amateur status, there's good value at NY Barbells.

Fringesport has pretty good home gym equipment. Locations in Austin, Houston, DFW so you save on shipping from parts unknown with other dealers.

www.fringesport.com

Thanks everyone!

Bump on this.

My Rogue package just arrived and I'm about to drill that puppy into the concrete. Looking forward to it. I dont have enough equipment yet to brag on it with a pic, but having three kids means I can rarely leave the house to go to a gym.

Anyhow, got these items and a few more including some dumbells. I only got things I know how to use consistently. Plan on getting some of those stretchy rubber band things and some boxes.

Here we go. Getting there I guess you cant post from Google drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_hw8SCmzVTBgWamviqSlBCDEr7QUg24ueQ/view?usp=sharing

That's all you need.

Besides talking to friends, the website http://garagegymbuilder.com/ was very useful and relatively neutral in its assessments. There are a ton of websites out there and this one was just easy for somebody who is pressed for time.

I hate that my life is so busy I cannot go to a gym, but I've been paying dues to gyms for years now and going almost never, as our childrent keep us so tied up.

I think many of the sales are already over, but this is definitely one of those big ticket items where Black Friday makes the hit easier.

Lots of mentions of Crossfit by Rogue. Maybe some day

Curious how these squat racks that fold back to the wall are. I'd be real interested in something like this.

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rml-3w-fold-back-wall-mount-rack

10andBOUNCE said:

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Curious how these squat racks that fold back to the wall are. I'd be real interested in something like this.

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rml-3w-fold-back-wall-mount-rack

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I was very seriously considering one of the Rogue fold-away racks, until I had a conversation with a Rogue support agent regarding the use of safety spotter arms with that style rack. Rogue does not recommend using safety spotter arms with a fold-away rack due to the possibility of the rack pulling away from the wall (and possibly falling on you) if you were to drop a loaded bar onto the safeties.

I work out by myself a large portion of the time - safeties were a must-have for me, so I ended up with an S2 squat rack I found on craigslist.

Spotter arms are a must when lifting by yourself.

Quote:

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I hate that my life is so busy I cannot go to a gym, but I've been paying dues to gyms for years now and going almost never, as our childrent keep us so tied up.

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This is my life as well right now --- too busy chasing kids to and fro and just cannot make it to the gym enough to warrant spending the money on a monthly membership. What did you wind up going with? I seriously need to add a home gym as my weight is creeping up and I recently got a high cholesterol and high triglycerides report from my doctor.

How much total in weights, stands, benches, etc. do you people have in the garage gyms?

Ag12thman said:

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Quote:

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I hate that my life is so busy I cannot go to a gym, but I've been paying dues to gyms for years now and going almost never, as our childrent keep us so tied up.

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This is my life as well right now --- too busy chasing kids to and fro and just cannot make it to the gym enough to warrant spending the money on a monthly membership. What did you wind up going with? I seriously need to add a home gym as my weight is creeping up and I recently got a high cholesterol and high triglycerides report from my doctor.

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Setting up a home gym is great, but if you can't afford to do that, you just have to make it work w/ kids. For example, I get up at 4:30 four days a week to workout and get back home around the time my wife and kids are waking up. The waking up sucks, and I normally only get around 6 hrs of sleep, but it's the only time I have that doesn't detract from my family.

You are very right. The problem is, I absolutely am not a morning person.

Weight and a bad blood report are solved in the kitchen. Not that a home gym wouldn't benefit you.

Definitely agree. That's part of my plan as well. Trying to get through these holidays and then habits have to change.

For everything you see in my picture above, I spent between $1500-$1600. The rack, bench, and mats were all used from craigslist.

That's 447.5 lbs of plates:

45lb - 6
35lb - 2
25lb - 2
10lb - 4
5lb - 2
2.5lb - 2
1.25lb - 2

Sounds like a very good deal. Hope can come across something similar.

hurricanejake02 said:

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For everything you see in my picture above, I spent between $1500-$1600. The rack, bench, and mats were all used from craigslist.

That's 447.5 lbs of plates:

45lb - 6
35lb - 2
25lb - 2
10lb - 4
5lb - 2
2.5lb - 2
1.25lb - 2

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What do you do on squat days?

We have a power rack with bench, box squat pedestal, detachable dip handles, and a Texas bar and 310 in plates.
A standard curl and straight bar with another 300ish.
Dumbell rack in closet with 5-50
A Bowflex

Very nice. Purchased new? If so, from where and approximate cost?

https://www.elitefts.com
Wife says about 2500. It is a bit of overkill because we aren't powerlifters but it allows me to do some different things with heavier weight than the Bowflex. And it's maroon.

Potcake said:

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https://www.elitefts.com
Wife says about 2500. It is a bit of overkill because we aren't powerlifters but it allows me to do some different things with heavier weight than the Bowflex. And it's maroon.

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Not bad at all for all that you have and it'll last you a lifetime.

I guess I will look at the home gym option. Getting rid of the treadmill and tri stuff so I will have the room. I stick with the main lifts so no need to have all of this fancy machines. Looking at Craigslist I found a Titan power rack with barbell, weights, bench, and mat for $550. Think that will get me by for a while since I am not trying to be the next Ronnie Coleman, just stay fit.

AgEng06 said:

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hurricanejake02 said:

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For everything you see in my picture above, I spent between $1500-$1600. The rack, bench, and mats were all used from craigslist.

That's 447.5 lbs of plates:

45lb - 6
35lb - 2
25lb - 2
10lb - 4
5lb - 2
2.5lb - 2
1.25lb - 2

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What do you do on squat days?

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I just load up the '65 Impala sitting next to the rack on my back for squat days...

But seriously, I'm at 370lbs on my squats right now. When I get up to 435, I'll go pick up another set of 45lb plates...

I calculated how much I would have to spend today. Besides the approximately $5,000 in equipment I already have, there is probably another $5,000 I'd have to spend plus $XX,XXX in a building to lift in. Might be worth it one of these days.