SL 5x5 equipment

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  • mheebner
    mheebner Posts: 285 Member
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    Oh squat stands are nice too...don't get me wrong. I don't have room for that either but if I did I would definitely take stands into consideration.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    I will have to see how tall my basement ceiling is.

    I have been able to find sets like this: http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-sporting-goods-exercise-exercise-equipment-Dotmar-Olympic-Bench-Squat-Weights-Bars-Dumbbells-W0QQAdIdZ536555501 a couple hours away from me. But they are all more than I can really spend right now. Winter is coming and work slows right down for us.

    Also, they come with standard weights/bar not sure if those weights will work on an Olympic bar?
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Yeah and a big consideration for me, is that I've always squat/bench/ohp with space. I've used a power rack before, and I didn't like it. Felt kinda caged in.

    And squat stands are the smallest, cheapest.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
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    I will have to see how tall my basement ceiling is.


    Also, they come with standard weights/bar not sure if those weights will work on an Olympic bar?
    First just stand up in your basement with your arms straight up, if there's 25cm above your hands to the ceiling them you have room to do over head press.
    45 lb Olympic bar and"big hole" plates are preferred. There is no actual"standard" weight to a bar for"small hole"plates. They are not interchangeable
    And as mentioned, you don't need a cage or rack, an adjustable stand will do it all too.
  • Mikej77
    Mikej77 Posts: 112
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    I had the same choice to make, I have very low ceilings, and could not get a full cage, I have to go outside for overhead press, will suck in the winter but I will get through it. I got this set , kinda wish I went used, but oh well.


    http://www.fitnessedgeonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=GPR370-GFID71-OSR300S&Click=3247&utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=shoppingengine&gclid=COS0ubKzs7oCFQyg4Aodn1MAxw
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    If you dont get a cage with safety bars and dont have a spotter, then be careful when doing heavier weight, be sure you can somehow dump the weight if you get in a bind.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    Ok, great advice. OP in your case, you have access to a smith machine.. for free.

    Use it to start, its free. It won't get your stabilizer muscles, but hey, its a start.
  • KidP
    KidP Posts: 247 Member
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    I bought a fairly cheap power rack for about 400 bucks new plus tax. I got it at Fitness Avenue in Mississauga. I've had it for about 6 months and it's been great so far. It's saved me a couple of times when i've gone too heavy on bench pressing. I would never weight lift & push myself at home without it.
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
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    bump
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    I bought a fairly cheap power rack for about 400 bucks new plus tax. I got it at Fitness Avenue in Mississauga. I've had it for about 6 months and it's been great so far. It's saved me a couple of times when i've gone too heavy on bench pressing. I would never weight lift & push myself at home without it.

    That's cool, that's what I liked about a power rack, I could go up on weight without fear of it crashing down on me. I don't have a spotter either and this would make working out at home safe.
  • 1ronbutterfly
    1ronbutterfly Posts: 5
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    Bump!
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    I will have to see how tall my basement ceiling is.


    Also, they come with standard weights/bar not sure if those weights will work on an Olympic bar?
    First just stand up in your basement with your arms straight up, if there's 25cm above your hands to the ceiling them you have room to do over head press.
    45 lb Olympic bar and"big hole" plates are preferred. There is no actual"standard" weight to a bar for"small hole"plates. They are not interchangeable
    And as mentioned, you don't need a cage or rack, an adjustable stand will do it all too.

    The hole size is getting me. Some people have what they say are Olympic weights with 1" holes. 2" seems hard to find.

    Do you have to use a Olympic bar/weights with the SL 5x5 program? Or can you start out with regular weights/bar and try to make sure it is close to 45 lbs?

    Since I can use a squat rack that makes things easier.

    Thanks for all the advice!
  • mheebner
    mheebner Posts: 285 Member
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    All the programs use an Olympic sized bar for them so its going to make it a little more difficult, but as long as you know the exact weight of the bar that you're using I don't see an issue with it. The main key of the stronglifts program is to just continually progress with the weights. As long as you can account for the weight of the bar and make linear progression it should work fine.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
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    A standard bar is fine, but depending how heavy you get especially with squats and deadlift, you may end up needing an olympic bar and 2" hole plates.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    OK thanks. I will keep a look out.
  • dixoncrew
    dixoncrew Posts: 186 Member
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    If you have the room, I would just buy a bench, Olympic bar, and plates off of Craigslist. I spent $300 and got everything I needed. Granted, the only way I was able to do that was to sell my treadmill but I'm really glad I did! If you don't have the room, find a gym that has a squat rack or cage, smith machines really do a disservice to your stabilizing muscles.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    If you have the room, I would just buy a bench, Olympic bar, and plates off of Craigslist. I spent $300 and got everything I needed. Granted, the only way I was able to do that was to sell my treadmill but I'm really glad I did! If you don't have the room, find a gym that has a squat rack or cage, smith machines really do a disservice to your stabilizing muscles.

    Craigslist rocks! I got all my dumbbells, racks, and bench off of there for less than half of what it all retails new. My muscles can't tell the difference either, but my wallet sure can! There's always a ton of weight equipment for sale on Craigslist.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    If you have the room, I would just buy a bench, Olympic bar, and plates off of Craigslist. I spent $300 and got everything I needed. Granted, the only way I was able to do that was to sell my treadmill but I'm really glad I did! If you don't have the room, find a gym that has a squat rack or cage, smith machines really do a disservice to your stabilizing muscles.
    I have been looking, but I can't do overhead press as my ceilings are too low. Not sure if there is any point now. :(
  • mheebner
    mheebner Posts: 285 Member
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    Of course there is. You have a few options available to you. One would be to do the OHP in your garage, or somewhere you have a little more clearance. Another option would be to just do them from a seated position. Something is better than not doing it. I would gladly do seated OH press for the convenience of having a squat rack at home !!
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    Really? You can do them seated? I really have no other place to put it. My husband runs his business out of the garage and there isn't enough room. I'm not into putting it anywhere else in my house.

    In waiting for a guy to email me back about a bench with rack. He doesn't say what kind of rack it is. I'm assuming it's for bench pressing, but I'm not sure since the pictures are only of part of it. If I have to I'll buy a squat rack. It's the Olympic weights that are hard to find used and I can't afford to buy new. I wish I could because I saw a great deal on some.

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