I don't but we've shopped around a bit. Used, in my area, you might be able to pick up a squat rack, barbell, weights, and a bench for somewhere around 500ish (with a lot of craigslist stalking and luck) If you can find one, or can afford new, a power rack is a better choice than a squat rack because it will let you use it to bench press with it, as long as its got good hole-spacing. For the record you don't NEED a spot on the bench (there are ways to save yourself and none of us are benching the kind of weight where we actually have to worry about letting it rest on our chests for a while) but its nice to have it.

Fortunately, I have everything at home in my garage. Its all my boyfriends and he doesn't like me using it because he thinks I'm becoming the She Hulk. oh well lol

He purchased used for ~500$ off craigslist.

Oh and also - I just wait and stare at them. Sometimes I ask how many sets they have left. Sometimse if I think they're really dicking around I'll start timing their rest periods and asking them again how many sets, was that their last, etc.

I've also asked to work in sets before, on other things. Not on the rack though because usually they're doing something like massive shrugs and I'm too lazy to unrack 8 45s for every set. but yeah. Most people in public gyms aren't actually working on a plan or anything, they just looked at it and thought "hey I'll do some _______________" so if you ask how many sets they ahve left they tend to finish up and leave pretty quick-like.

Wish I had room to buy a power rack and all the accessories. Have the money, not the space...so I am swapping gyms come April...have found an awesome one (it is geared towards male bodybuilders, only one other woman trains there) locally and am going to pay a year up front like last time and also join their tough mudder team this year.

Oh and also - I just wait and stare at them.

Haha I did this to the little boys last week (16-20 yr olds - I'm 36). Gave them the old "mom arms crossed" stare. Took about 3 min before they realized they could do their lunges/bicep curls/ shrugs elsewhere with the long barbells or other bars. AND still stare at their manly physiques in the other mirrors

Oh and also - I just wait and stare at them.

Haha I did this to the little boys last week (16-20 yr olds - I'm 36). Gave them the old "mom arms crossed" stare. Took about 3 min before they realized they could do their lunges/bicep curls/ shrugs elsewhere with the long barbells or other bars. AND still stare at their manly physiques in the other mirrors

I did this the other day to a "trainer" that had someone doing pushups in the rack. I tried to not be b**chy when I asked how much longer they were going to be (didn't succeed), and I was definitely was mean-mugging them until they moved.

The trainer should've known better!!


If they're just futzing around, call them out on it!
I did that to some girls (like 16 yr olds) at my gym for a piece of equipment I didn't even want but they wandered off to continue gabbing elsewhere.

I’ll be honest and tell y’all that gyms make me squirm. I am absolutely uncomfortable in them. My eldest son, who is a ridiculously muscular young man, went with me to the “weight room” at the Y a couple of years ago to teach me how to dead lift, and I was so self conscious about my lack of form because of all the big guys. I know, I know…being fat is probably the least of my problems, ha ha...

I have a stationary bike and an elliptical in my studio (which used to be a portrait studio until I opted to do commercial photography as opposed to portrait), and just last week put a squat rack/bench in after being given a standard barbell set.

I love the convenience, the privacy, and the ability to put whatever I want on the TV or stereo and just do what I need to do. And it doesn’t matter what I wear, because the Barbies in their color coordinated workout gear and matching shoes and perfect hair and makeup aren’t standing around looking at me sideways while I’m rocking my Converse hi-tops, oversized tee and baggy sweat pants. :laugh:

The down side? I have NO excuse to NOT work out.

Which reminds me…if I’m going to get my lift in before supper I need to get my tail in gear.


ETA: I didn’t address your cost question…I got my standard bar for free (gift) and it has 2 ten pound plates with it. I scoured Craig’s list and the closest thing to a squat rack I could find was a couple hours away in Wilmington. Checked pawn shops, want ads, etc. The hubs told me when I got home from work last week that it was time to suck it up and go to ****’s Sporting Goods (the nickname for Richard) and get me what I wanted/needed, so $280 and a few new plates later, we were on our way home. I was also gifted some more plates from one of my sons this weekend, so it’s worked out fairly well.

Yes, I have a gym in my garage and LOVE it. Got my squat rack off eBay brand new for $150, my Olympic bar and plates were all used off Craigslist. Hung a door mirror so I can see my form, and bam. I have my own gym. We also have a few other things in there that hubby got off Crags list. I say the set up was about $300-$400?