Home gym equipment must-haves

by 19delta Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:26 pm

We have a bench, a couple barbells, about 600lbs in iron weights and a weight tree, and a squat rack with a pull-up bar. Also have a Spud strap so we can do kettlebell swings and a landmine attachment. Also have a 4'x6' platform with a rubber surface.

What other home gym equipment would you consider "essential". Nothing fancy. We squat, bench, and dead lift and do accessories for each. Assuming we aren't going to get back into the school weight room, what should we be looking to add?

by Head Idiot Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:55 pm

I have two tractor tires of different sizes for flipping, dead lift, farmer carry, pulling with a tug of war rope, "benching" and push press (put it in the bed of my truck and stand behind tailgate). A zero turn mower tire for side throws, keg toss type throws, sit ups and plate twists. Also have a 30lb kettlebell for curls, triceps, situps and a 45lb kettlebell for curls, sumo squats, goblet squat, kettlebell swings. Also a sledgehammer for some beating on the tires. Just ordered a log press bar thing. Comes Friday. Pretty excited.

Since it's so wet I've been dragging it all out to our cul de sac to workout. The neighbors have been looking at me even more strangely through their windows.

by Head Idiot Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:56 pm

So, thanks to delta I saw this video and it planted a seed in my head. I have since decided I'm going to put together a gym in my basement (after I get my kids 11 and 15 to clean out their "toy" room). Have purchased all the materials to build this rack minus the safety bars and 90° times (gonna have to order them online- no one has them) and I'm out about $150 so far.

Going to have to find time to go to Clinton to use a drill press for the holes. Other than that, all assembly will be in my garage/basement.

by Head Idiot Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:57 pm

Found a brand new bar and 300lbs of used weights on Facebook marketplace yesterday for $225 dollars. Not awesome plates and not enough weight, but it's a start.

Updates will be coming.

by Head Idiot Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:34 pm

Cut the posts and about half the top and bottom pieces. Got the 90° fasteners in the mail today. No local hardware stores carried them. Going to drill the holes tomorrow at the brother in law's house. Should be able to assemble Friday if the room is available.

by 19delta Wed Apr 29, 2020 9:14 pm

Head Idiot wrote:Found a brand new bar and 300lbs of used weights on Facebook marketplace yesterday for $225 dollars. Not awesome plates and not enough weight, but it's a start.

Updates will be coming.

OK...why in the hell did someone neg-rep this post? Seriously? Laughing

That's a great deal on weights and a bar. We have right around 600lbs here at home. Not great weights. Fitness Gear. Sloppy fit and not full-size 45s. Probably about 16" diameter instead of the proper shade under 18". But we do have 2 crappy full-size iron 45s that we use when we dead lift (and my kid uses when he squats).

We have 3 barbells. 1 is a pretty shitty older bar with shoulder bolts. The squat rack we have has a built-in landmine attachment. We use the crappy bar for that. Also have 1 decent mutli-purpose barbell we use for squats and presses. Finally, we do have a Texas Strength Systems Texas Dead Lift Bar, which is awesome. Once you use one of those, you will never want to dead lift with anything else again.

I bought a Viking Press attachment:
Home gym equipment must-haves Equipment-9298

Home gym equipment must-haves Equipment-9298

Got this for rows and presses.

Also bought a bunch of bands from Elitefts. Using these for pull-aparts, banded Good Mornings/RDLs and rowing and shrugging movements.

We have a Spud Kettlebell Strap. I try to get 100 swings with 75lbs+ a week.

Couple other things I want to add are a dip station, neck harness, and adjustable dumbbells. I really like these.

I need Santa Trump to send me another check... Very Happy

by OSUBucks Wed Apr 29, 2020 10:13 pm

19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Found a brand new bar and 300lbs of used weights on Facebook marketplace yesterday for $225 dollars. Not awesome plates and not enough weight, but it's a start.

Updates will be coming.

OK...why in the hell did someone neg-rep this post? Seriously?

That's a great deal on weights and a bar. We have right around 600lbs here at home. Not great weights. Fitness Gear. Sloppy fit and not full-size 45s. Probably about 16" diameter instead of the proper shade under 18". But we do have 2 crappy full-size iron 45s that we use when we dead lift (and my kid uses when he squats).

We have 3 barbells. 1 is a pretty shitty older bar with shoulder bolts. The squat rack we have has a built-in landmine attachment. We use the crappy bar for that. Also have 1 decent mutli-purpose barbell we use for squats and presses. Finally, we do have a Texas Strength Systems Texas Dead Lift Bar, which is awesome. Once you use one of those, you will never want to dead lift with anything else again.

I bought a Viking Press attachment:

Got this for rows and presses.

Also bought a bunch of bands from Elitefts. Using these for pull-aparts, banded Good Mornings/RDLs and rowing and shrugging movements.

We have a Spud Kettlebell Strap. I try to get 100 swings with 75lbs+ a week.

Couple other things I want to add are a dip station, neck harness, and adjustable dumbbells. I really like these.

I need Santa Trump to send me another check...

Just guessing here but to answer your question maybe they're just jealous that they can't throw up nearly as much weight as HI can. Smile

[/quote]

by Head Idiot Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:12 pm

19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Found a brand new bar and 300lbs of used weights on Facebook marketplace yesterday for $225 dollars. Not awesome plates and not enough weight, but it's a start.

Updates will be coming.

OK...why in the hell did someone neg-rep this post? Seriously?

That's a great deal on weights and a bar. We have right around 600lbs here at home. Not great weights. Fitness Gear. Sloppy fit and not full-size 45s. Probably about 16" diameter instead of the proper shade under 18". But we do have 2 crappy full-size iron 45s that we use when we dead lift (and my kid uses when he squats).

We have 3 barbells. 1 is a pretty shitty older bar with shoulder bolts. The squat rack we have has a built-in landmine attachment. We use the crappy bar for that. Also have 1 decent mutli-purpose barbell we use for squats and presses. Finally, we do have a Texas Strength Systems Texas Dead Lift Bar, which is awesome. Once you use one of those, you will never want to dead lift with anything else again.

I bought a Viking Press attachment:

Got this for rows and presses.

Also bought a bunch of bands from Elitefts. Using these for pull-aparts, banded Good Mornings/RDLs and rowing and shrugging movements.

We have a Spud Kettlebell Strap. I try to get 100 swings with 75lbs+ a week.

Couple other things I want to add are a dip station, neck harness, and adjustable dumbbells. I really like these.

I need Santa Trump to send me another check...

If I put that the sky was blue and kittens are cute, there's someone overnight that would ding it.

My plates are fitness gear too. Haven't had a chance to really use them, but they seem ok so far. 45s are about the size of a normal 35. There is a normal 35 and a fitness gear one. The FG one seems a little heavier. That was the only abnormality to the set though Guy I bought it from has a lot of stuff he buys as junk at auctions and cleans and paint. He had some other things he's working on he was going to contact me about.

Right now, I just want to bench and squat. I'll worry about other stuff after I get this set up. I think a lat pull down/tri type machine may be my next build.

I have lost close to 10lbs with my more crossfit type workouts.

by Head Idiot Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:24 pm

OSUBucks wrote:
19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Found a brand new bar and 300lbs of used weights on Facebook marketplace yesterday for $225 dollars. Not awesome plates and not enough weight, but it's a start.

Updates will be coming.

OK...why in the hell did someone neg-rep this post? Seriously?

That's a great deal on weights and a bar. We have right around 600lbs here at home. Not great weights. Fitness Gear. Sloppy fit and not full-size 45s. Probably about 16" diameter instead of the proper shade under 18". But we do have 2 crappy full-size iron 45s that we use when we dead lift (and my kid uses when he squats).

We have 3 barbells. 1 is a pretty shitty older bar with shoulder bolts. The squat rack we have has a built-in landmine attachment. We use the crappy bar for that. Also have 1 decent mutli-purpose barbell we use for squats and presses. Finally, we do have a Texas Strength Systems Texas Dead Lift Bar, which is awesome. Once you use one of those, you will never want to dead lift with anything else again.

I bought a Viking Press attachment:

Got this for rows and presses.

Also bought a bunch of bands from Elitefts. Using these for pull-aparts, banded Good Mornings/RDLs and rowing and shrugging movements.

We have a Spud Kettlebell Strap. I try to get 100 swings with 75lbs+ a week.

Couple other things I want to add are a dip station, neck harness, and adjustable dumbbells. I really like these.

I need Santa Trump to send me another check... [/quote

Just guessing here but to answer your question maybe they're just jealous that they can't throw up nearly as much weight as HI can.

They really won't like that I need at least 100-150lbs more.

by Head Idiot Thu Apr 30, 2020 7:43 pm

44 1 1/4 inch holes drilled today. 5 more cross pieces to cut and 13 more angle supports and then it's assembly time.

by Head Idiot Fri May 01, 2020 4:46 pm

All pieces cut, now I gotta wait for the place in the basement to be clear. Hopefully this week.

Then, buy pipe and workout.

by Head Idiot Tue May 05, 2020 5:54 pm

Ran to Robinson Sunday to pick up this bench from a seller off Facebook- https://www.vanswefitness.com/products/weight-bench

Got it for $125. The box was still taped up and all pieces still wrapped in plastic. The box said it was supposed to ship to Tampa Florida. I asked no questions and got the \"f\"ing out of town.

Still need to assemble it. All in all, I'm about $500 in for the power rack, bar, 300lbs of weight and an adjustable bench. Not bad.

Next project on the horizon for me is a lat pull down/tricep/pulley system piece.

by Head Idiot Fri May 08, 2020 6:43 pm

Finished the rack today. Getting ready to give it a run. It seems really sturdy.

Please disregard the toys and crap still in there. Have some more stuff to move out. And the red bag is our Christmas tree.

by 19delta Fri May 08, 2020 7:41 pm

Head Idiot wrote:Finished the rack today. Getting ready to give it a run. It seems really sturdy.

Please disregard the toys and crap still in there. Have some more stuff to move out. And the red bag is our Christmas tree.

Damn...looks great, HI! Excellent workmanship...you are a really handy guy!

by Head Idiot Fri May 08, 2020 8:09 pm

19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Finished the rack today. Getting ready to give it a run. It seems really sturdy.

Please disregard the toys and crap still in there. Have some more stuff to move out. And the red bag is our Christmas tree.

Damn...looks great, HI! Excellent workmanship...you are a really handy guy!

Thanks. There's some gaps and it isn't beautiful when you get up close, but after I paint it it won't be so noticeable.

I'm no Norm Abram.

by 19delta Fri May 08, 2020 8:27 pm

Head Idiot wrote:
19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Finished the rack today. Getting ready to give it a run. It seems really sturdy.

Please disregard the toys and crap still in there. Have some more stuff to move out. And the red bag is our Christmas tree.

Damn...looks great, HI! Excellent workmanship...you are a really handy guy!

Thanks. There's some gaps and it isn't beautiful when you get up close, but after I paint it it won't be so noticeable.

I'm no Norm Abram.

I would have watched that show more if he would have built power racks... Laughing

by Head Idiot Fri May 08, 2020 9:01 pm

19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:
19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:Finished the rack today. Getting ready to give it a run. It seems really sturdy.

Please disregard the toys and crap still in there. Have some more stuff to move out. And the red bag is our Christmas tree.

Damn...looks great, HI! Excellent workmanship...you are a really handy guy!

Thanks. There's some gaps and it isn't beautiful when you get up close, but after I paint it it won't be so noticeable.

I'm no Norm Abram.

I would have watched that show more if he would have built power racks...

The New Yankee Workshop is must watch TV. Norm Abram is a wizard.

by Head Idiot Sun May 10, 2020 5:12 pm

Next project- a weight tree. Already sick of stepping over plates.

by Head Idiot Wed May 13, 2020 7:17 pm

I lied about the weight tree. Made a dumbbell today. Need some smaller clips, but otherwise I'm a big fan. $14.

by 19delta Thu May 14, 2020 7:43 am

Pulled the trigger on an Intek trap bar. Getting this bad boy on Saturday:
https://www.intekstrength.com/Modular-Weight-Lifting-Bar.html

I also bought a couple kettlebell handles that work with Olympic plates.

by Head Idiot Thu May 14, 2020 12:15 pm

So, it tips up to remove the plates? That's cool. That's the worst part of deadlift.

Or, when my back explodes doing it.

by 19delta Thu May 14, 2020 1:01 pm

Head Idiot wrote:So, it tips up to remove the plates? That's cool. That's the worst part of deadlift.

Or, when my back explodes doing it.

Well, you can pretty much do that with any trap bar, given you are training with a partner. But yeah...the built-in jacks allow you to change weights if you are lifting by yourself.

The big advantage with the Intek is the open-ended design. You can do a ton of movements with it that can't be done on a closed trap bar.

https://youtu.be/8iLaMCcaPcM

by Head Idiot Thu May 14, 2020 1:06 pm

19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:So, it tips up to remove the plates? That's cool. That's the worst part of deadlift.

Or, when my back explodes doing it.

Well, you can pretty much do that with any trap bar, given you are training with a partner. But yeah...the built-in jacks allow you to change weights if you are lifting by yourself.

The big advantage with the Intek is the open-ended design. You can do a ton of movements with it that can't be done on a closed trap bar.

https://youtu.be/8iLaMCcaPcM

What is this lifting partner you speak of?

by 19delta Thu May 14, 2020 1:23 pm

Head Idiot wrote:
19delta wrote:
Head Idiot wrote:So, it tips up to remove the plates? That's cool. That's the worst part of deadlift.

Or, when my back explodes doing it.

Well, you can pretty much do that with any trap bar, given you are training with a partner. But yeah...the built-in jacks allow you to change weights if you are lifting by yourself.

The big advantage with the Intek is the open-ended design. You can do a ton of movements with it that can't be done on a closed trap bar.

https://youtu.be/8iLaMCcaPcM
What is this lifting partner you speak of?

Right.

My wife and I lift together. Sometimes, I will lift with my kid but I can't keep up with him anymore. He's way past my limits.

The Intek is a great piece of equipment. A lot more than I wanted to spend on garage gym equipment but it's pretty tough to find a decent trap bar right now. I wanted to buy a Rogue TB-2 or the BFS Mega Trap Bar but they are both sold out. The Intek shipped this morning.

Next paycheck, I'm getting one of these:

https://www.elitefts.com/cambered-swiss-bar.html

by Head Idiot Thu May 14, 2020 2:12 pm

My wife used to lift with me. When we left CG and stopped having pretty much a private weight room, she stopped. She hates lifting for an audience more than me. I'm trying to get her back now that the basement is ready. At least squat and bench.

She's a runner though. Last week was 900 straight days of at least 1 mile of running.

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