Home gyms.

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hesn92
hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Who has a home gym and what do you have? I would prefer to invest in some equipment rather than get a gym membership.. But my dilemma is a squat rack. Does anyone have one? Where did you get it and how much was it? My problem is that they take up so much space and are expensive! But can you do squats without one? What are my options??
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  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    I spent about $700 on my home gym a couple years ago. Best investment for me. I do weightlifting with it. I looked around for sales and deals to find equipment. Probably could have spent less if I looked around even harder.

    I have:

    Power cage
    Olympic bar with set of 320lb weights
    Flat bench
    Mat flooring to protect actual floor

    If you plan to do any barbell squats, then at the least you'll need a squat rack, and best is a power cage. Having failed on squats before, I say you really need something to catch that bar on a fail.

    You could do goblet squats or dumbbell squats without any safety gear.
  • FullOnBurn
    FullOnBurn Posts: 43 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Over the years my basement has become my gym, elliptical, treadmill, spin bike, and most recently a power rack, 300lbs Olympic weights, bench and a bunch of standard weights with a curl bar. You'd think I'd be in better shape with all this stuff.

    The rack was gift from my wife (should I take a hint?), but was ~$300 Cdn, weights were another $300, $50 for flooring, another $40 for fractional weights
  • willrunforfood35
    willrunforfood35 Posts: 10
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    I bought a squat rack and weights from Scheels for about $700. I looked around at all the sports stores in the area, focusing more on sturdiness than price. I often workout at home when the kids are in bed and I can't leave the house. It's worth the investment to me.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    If you're lifting then either a squat rack or a power cage will be necessary. You can find used ones on craigslist for pretty cheap. I saw a listing last night that included a good looking squat rack, bench, barbell and plates (2x45, 2x25, 2x10, 2x5, 2x2.5) for $340.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I bought squat stands off of Craigslist for $50. Then I got a pair of these sawhorses, which I use as safeties. They are a nice height to use as a rack for rows and Romanian deadlifts too. I set my bench ($25 used, came with 80 lbs of plates) inside the sawhorses when I am benching so they are my safeties for that as well.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    Plus dumbbells, bunch of different bands, recovery stuff, pull up bar, one kb, yoga mat.

    I have a commercial grade rack which is def overkill but I feel safer.
    Plates and dumbells from CL. Bar from Play it Again. Rack and bench from a used gym store lol
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    lishie_rebooted wrote: »


    Plus dumbbells, bunch of different bands, recovery stuff, pull up bar, one kb, yoga mat.

    I have a commercial grade rack which is def overkill but I feel safer.
    Plates and dumbells from CL. Bar from Play it Again. Rack and bench from a used gym store lol
    That is easily the most beautiful thing I've seen all day. How much was it?
  • subversive99
    subversive99 Posts: 273 Member
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    We got a cheap olympic bar and 270 pounds of weights from Canadian Tire for like $100 (it was being discontinued and the last one we could find). Got a power cage from Flaman Fitness for $600. Got the bench and some dumbbells off kijiji (think Craigslist for Canadians). Had the treadmill for a few years, but I think it was around $800 from Costco. We recently bought a proper 45 pound Olympic bar for $140, also from Flaman Fitness, and added some interlocking mats to the floor. We're not using the dip bars and other stuff that came with the cage yet, just doing StrongLifts 5x5, but so far REALLY happy with the investment.

    MfFt1uc.jpg
  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
    edited February 2015
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    4lT17qV.jpg

    Rogue R3 rack with crossover grips
    Rogue rippetoe bar and rogue beater bar
    rogue hitemp plates (hate these)
    rogue flat bench
    rogue dip bar attachment
    also have a suspension trainer attached at the top

    Metal plates i found on craigslist for .55c/lb. Wish I bought more 45s.

    I think everything together was about 2500 or so
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    edited February 2015
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    yusaku02 wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »


    Plus dumbbells, bunch of different bands, recovery stuff, pull up bar, one kb, yoga mat.

    I have a commercial grade rack which is def overkill but I feel safer.
    Plates and dumbells from CL. Bar from Play it Again. Rack and bench from a used gym store lol
    That is easily the most beautiful thing I've seen all day. How much was it?

    Haha plates and dumbbells were like 270$ from CL. Worked out to be less than 60cents/lb. [ Pairs of db: 15, 25, 30, 40. Pairs of plTes: 2.5, 2x 5, 10, 25, 35, 45]
    Bar was 50$ plus tax at play it again.
    Rack and bench was 1100$ with tax and delivery. I talked them down on it. I got it at a place that only sells commercial grade equipment hence the price.

    I have a door frame pull up bar, pull up assistance bands, 1 kb, pair pf 5lb and 10lb dbs, bosu ball, half foam, other resistance bands, airex pad, stability balls, yoga mat, 2 yoga dvds, 4 books about lifting, 2 for running, extra fractionals, bunch of stuff for recovery.

    Need 20lb dbs, heavy bag, treadmill, and trainer for my bike and I'm set hahaha
  • BraveNewdGirl
    BraveNewdGirl Posts: 937 Member
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    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    Geez, drooling here.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    BraveNewdGirl wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    Geez, drooling here.
    Welcome new friend haha
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Sweet, another chance to *kitten* out my pics.

    51163485433173627074.jpg

    52522497578703419904.jpg
  • subversive99
    subversive99 Posts: 273 Member
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    DopeItUp wrote: »
    Sweet, another chance to *kitten* out my pics.

    Epic.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    DopeItUp wrote: »
    Sweet, another chance to *kitten* out my pics.

    51163485433173627074.jpg

    52522497578703419904.jpg

    Im still jealous of your set up. Largely due to the space haha
  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
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    DopeItUp wrote: »
    Sweet, another chance to *kitten* out my pics.

    51163485433173627074.jpg

    52522497578703419904.jpg

    Did you build thta lifting platform? Plywood and horse stall mat? Been thinking about doing that myself.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    damnit this thread is just making me jealous.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    You can build a rack out of wood. I believe @mireygal76 has a stand she made of wood , cement, buckets, and brackets
  • kissme1031
    kissme1031 Posts: 6
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    I bought the total gym after working on it for years in physical therapy they run about 300 dollars including shippong on HSN awesome got a squat and a bunch of different attachment s came with it check it out online it weighs felt 70 to 75 pounds but it does fold up so you can stow away somewhere.
  • benv107
    benv107 Posts: 2
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    Don't have a home gym myself, just graduated college. The best thing imho is a pull up bar, and some dumbbells. The amount of leg work you can do without a squat rack is pretty substantial. I for one find pistol squats while holding a weight to be amazing, especially if you can work your way up to 50lbs or more.

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