Home gym opinion

[SmallsMalone]

What I Already have:

EliteFTS 3x3 squat rack
Pendlay 45lb barbell
pendlay adjustable utility bench
DB's from 5-60lbs

What I want to add:
Lat pull down, selectorized with low row pulley
Leg Press
Leg Extension (Selectorized)

DB's 65-100lbs

What would you add if you only had $1000 budget? It seems like I could get the most exercises out of the Lat Pulldown with low-row. What's your opinion?

 

[kawilt]

Try a heavy duty walker and dip belt.

 

[element00]

Hey man, I assume you have plenty of plates? I've got a reasonable home set up but must say when I'm at peak strength I find a few more plates are always useful

 

[weighted chinup]

Dip belt for sure, you can probably find one of those old school dip stands for pretty cheap, a walker will work just fine too.

A sturdy bar for chin ups and pull ups is a must as well, assuming your squat rack doesn't have bars built into for this purpose. You can find wall mounted chin up bars for a reasonable price that are sturdy.

The seated row / low row is not bad but definitely not necessary imo. Seated row is my main horizontal row that I currently do at the moment but there are definitely other rowing movements and compounds that can be done that are just as good. I like chest supported row personally, all you need for this is a really long incline bench to lie down on so the dumbbells don't hit the floor when you come down.

Just get the chin up bars instead of the lat pull down.

Extending the dumbbell range to 100lbs is a good idea too.

 

[RThoads]

i good chinup/pullup and dip station able to securely handle you chaining big weights

 

[dnoyez]

I've been drooling over a powertec setup...usually about once a year I go through this phase.

 

[Masters Power]

I like the lat pulldown low pulley row, I have one as well as a high and low pulley on one of my power racks.

If you have an unfinished basement attached is a picture of a chin up bar that will cost you $10 to make and will be sturdier than anything you can buy.

 

[SmallsMalone]

Hey man, I assume you have plenty of plates? I've got a reasonable home set up but must say when I'm at peak strength I find a few more plates are always useful

I could always use more plates - good idea. I do plan on getting my own leg press since squats are no longer an option for me (3 herniated discs and some severe Degenerative Disc Disease made the Doc tell me no, never again). And even on easy mode I am doing 350 on it at the gym.

Dip belt for sure, you can probably find one of those old school dip stands for pretty cheap, a walker will work just fine too.

A sturdy bar for chin ups and pull ups is a must as well, assuming your squat rack doesn't have bars built into for this purpose. You can find wall mounted chin up bars for a reasonable price that are sturdy.

The seated row / low row is not bad but definitely not necessary imo. Seated row is my main horizontal row that I currently do at the moment but there are definitely other rowing movements and compounds that can be done that are just as good. I like chest supported row personally, all you need for this is a really long incline bench to lie down on so the dumbbells don't hit the floor when you come down.

Just get the chin up bars instead of the lat pull down.

Extending the dumbbell range to 100lbs is a good idea too.

I have a great chin up bar on my squat rack - large grip, wide and angled perfectly for wide pull ups. I don't have a dip station yet, but I could get one pretty cheap. I never thought of doing rows like that on the bench - good idea!!!

 

[MANWHORE]

My home gym consists of:

50lb bags of corn..
forearms roller with weight on rope.. just got that
two 35lb dumbbells that I put in corn bags when they lighten up
a new pullup/pushup device.. you've seen them.. they go over door cap..
a counter top to hold when I do calf raises

Cost: about $40
Results from it: A 171lb luscious hunk of a man.. Man, I'm bored

 

[Oregongearhead]

I workout outside and love it , I would search Craigslist for a used Powerhouse Gym or one like it . ....Goodluck ~Ogh

 

[Oregongearhead]

I could always use more plates - good idea. I do plan on getting my own leg press since squats are no longer an option for me (3 herniated discs and some severe Degenerative Disc Disease made the Doc tell me no, never again). And even on easy mode I am doing 350 on it at the gym.



I have a great chin up bar on my squat rack - large grip, wide and angled perfectly for wide pull ups. I don't have a dip station yet, but I could get one pretty cheap. I never thought of doing rows like that on the bench - good idea!!!

I know squats arent for everyone ; I just missed a leg press for $75 a month ago on CL . Right now Im looking for a hack squat / calf raise machine .

 

[MANWHORE]

I wish I had a hack squat machine

 

[Masters Power]

I could always use more plates - good idea. I do plan on getting my own leg press since squats are no longer an option for me (3 herniated discs and some severe Degenerative Disc Disease made the Doc tell me no, never again). And even on easy mode I am doing 350 on it at the gym.

I have a great chin up bar on my squat rack - large grip, wide and angled perfectly for wide pull ups. I don't have a dip station yet, but I could get one pretty cheap. I never thought of doing rows like that on the bench - good idea!!!

More plates is never a bad idea. The older I get the less I like screwing around loading plates. I have gone to all grip plates which definitely helps but it is still a pain, so I'm up to a little over 2,000 pds. in plates. Dip bars are a good investment. Don't get a "power station" with the combined chin and dip bars, go for the stand alone dip bars, much more steady.
Here is my set up, acquired through CL over a couple of year period.

 

[element00]

View attachment 19023


More plates is never a bad idea. The older I get the less I like screwing around loading plates. I have gone to all grip plates which definitely helps but it is still a pain, so I'm up to a little over 2,000 pds. in plates. Dip bars are a good investment. Don't get a "power station" with the combined chin and dip bars, go for the stand alone dip bars, much more steady.
Here is my set up, acquired through CL over a couple of year period.

Fuck mp, looks like you would put many 'gyms' to shame with that set up. Looks like it's time for me to expand

 

[MindlessWork]

MP, 1 ton worth of plates? Definitely puts the commercial gyms to shame and you have plenty for your friends when they come over to train with you haha

 

[Masters Power]

Fuck mp, looks like you would put many 'gyms' to shame with that set up. Looks like it's time for me to expand

MP, 1 ton worth of plates? Definitely puts the commercial gyms to shame and you have plenty for your friends when they come over to train with you haha

Lots of buying and selling on CL to get to where I was happy with everything. 2,000 is probably a bit of overkill but not much. I have separate bars for squat, 2 for bench (one flat, one incline) and deadlifts and I like not ever having to completely strip them. Add in a couple of plate loaded pulldown, low pulley rows which generally have about 350 pds. tied up between them and it starts to add up quickly.

 

[MindlessWork]

Lots of buying and selling on CL to get to where I was happy with everything. 2,000 is probably a bit of overkill but not much. I have separate bars for squat, 2 for bench (one flat, one incline) and deadlifts and I like not ever having to completely strip them. Add in a couple of plate loaded pulldown, low pulley rows which generally have about 350 pds. tied up between them and it starts to add up quickly.

If you have friends who lift heavy as you you might need 2 tons of plates, maybe some of those 100lb bad boys you should get for your collection too!

What about dumbbells? You get enough of the heavy ones?

 

[Masters Power]

If you have friends who lift heavy as you you might need 2 tons of plates, maybe some of those 100lb bad boys you should get for your collection too!

What about dumbbells? You get enough of the heavy ones?

30-100's in 5 pd. increments on the dumbbells. I would like some heavier ones but they are tough to find and are usually pretty expensive if you can find them.

 

[element00]

Lots of buying and selling on CL to get to where I was happy with everything. 2,000 is probably a bit of overkill but not much. I have separate bars for squat, 2 for bench (one flat, one incline) and deadlifts and I like not ever having to completely strip them. Add in a couple of plate loaded pulldown, low pulley rows which generally have about 350 pds. tied up between them and it starts to add up quickly.

This is my biggest annoyance. Having to pull all plates to move bar around etc. just don't have the space to keep everything in place. Might have to build an extension to the house!

 

[MindlessWork]

This is my biggest annoyance. Having to pull all plates to move bar around etc. just don't have the space to keep everything in place. Might have to build an extension to the house!

Why not buy/build a large shed if you got enough land? Also then you can train without the noise bothering the family. One acquaintance of mine has a large 16x20 garage type shed with all his gym gear inside and there's enough space for everything even fully loaded ready to use.