Thinking about buying a home gym.

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soap02
soap02 Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So as the title states I'm thinking about buying a "home gym". Any tips what I should be looking for?

Right now all I have is dumbbells , straight bar, curl bar and a incline bench.

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  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    Craigslist is a good place to look for items you want to add. I found a barbell and bumper plates for pretty cheap because the guy just wanted them gone.

    I bought my squat rack off Amazon for like $200. You can find similar options locally if you live close to a sporting store. That would save you on shipping.

    If buying everything outright is too much, prioritize what you want. For me personally, a barbell and weights were priority #1, then the squat rack, then the plate holder and dumbbells, etc.. I still add stuff here and there as a need arises, but for the most part I have everything I want.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Buy used and when buying plates, try not to spend more than 50¢ per pound - Play it Again Sports sells them for 49¢. Good place to look is Craigslist, my favorite is Goodwill.

    Don't be afraid to spend on money on a great barbell. This is an item you shouldn't be buying on the cheap. Look at Rogue, Elitefts for bars. I have the Rogue Ohio Powerbar 2.0 and its a very solid, firm, bar with very little -- if any -- whip.

    Get a good rack -- rated above 1000 lbs -- and if you intended to bench, either have pins or spotter arms and USE them when benching. Death will literally kill your gains.

    For flooring, go to a place like Tractor Supply and buy horse-stall mats. They are big, heavy, and for 30-35 dollars you can't beat the protection and the amount of floor coverage they provide.
  • katsoslim
    katsoslim Posts: 39 Member
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    I couldn't survive the colder seasons without my treadmill. If you're building a home gym, get a nice/mid-level treadmill with a fan and good track (to protect your knees and hips).. places like dick sporting goods are your best bet or research the one you want then search craigslist, etc. "Play it again sports" or a similar used sporting goods store will have great deals on used weights. Good luck!
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
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    Get a rack, a quality bar and an adjustable bench, plus plates. A rack should also have a pullup bar with multiple handles. That's all you need to start, Total cost should be less than a 1000. May sound like a lot, but if you pay 50/month for a gym membership, plus time to get there and back....
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    I have never been great at working out at home, but there is something to be said for working out barefoot...or in your PJs.

    My favorite additions have been my heavy bag and my pull-up bar. And of course having a mat or some type of workout flooring helps for some reason.

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