Setting up a home weight room

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  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    this thread is an eye opener. I am spending $780 per year for my daughter and I to attend the local gym. I think I will work on turning my garage into a home gym over the next few months and cancel the membership at the end of the term. Thanks for the inspiration.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    this thread is an eye opener. I am spending $780 per year for my daughter and I to attend the local gym. I think I will work on turning my garage into a home gym over the next few months and cancel the membership at the end of the term. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Geez! for $780 you could get EVERYTHING you need off of Craigslist. I probably only spent about $1000 total and I have a HUGE home gym set up.
  • oc1timoco
    oc1timoco Posts: 272 Member
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    I have a Total Home Gym ( Thank you Chuck Norris ) that I bought at a yard sale 3 years ago for $100 that I use 2 days a week. A weight bench and 180# of steel weights, purchased for $50 at a yard sale, that I use 3 days a week. I also have a Tony Little Gazelle that I use when the weather is cold. ( I will walk/ run in every kind of weather but cold ). Over in the corner I have a punching bag to work out frustrations.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
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    this thread is an eye opener. I am spending $780 per year for my daughter and I to attend the local gym. I think I will work on turning my garage into a home gym over the next few months and cancel the membership at the end of the term. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Geez! for $780 you could get EVERYTHING you need off of Craigslist. I probably only spent about $1000 total and I have a HUGE home gym set up.

    The one-time pricetag is by far one of the best features of home gyms. Pay once, and the gear is pretty much entirely at your disposal. Membership gyms are great for people who don't have the space at home, but your membership is basically you renting the ability to TRY and use equipment, provided someone else isn't using it, already.
  • wjunderwood
    wjunderwood Posts: 1
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    I am turning 60 in Oct and have decided also to lose weight and how best to since I have had 2 back surgery and one neck surgery. I have to loose 50 lbs and my goal is to loose it by next March. With that said I have have a friend that has had very good luck with the Total Gym so I bought one about 6 weeks ago and love it. So many different things you can do and so easy to set up and adjust it totally gives you a good workout. I started out at 235 lbs and am now at 218, this in 2 months, also have changed diet, 1750 cals per day. I also do 2 plus miles on a treadmill every day. So whatever you choose good luck
    that1s my two cent worth Take a look at the Total Gym you may want to try it and it is a month to month pay plan or buy it out right. Total refund also if you don,t like
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,650 Member
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    Bump for this summer when I will be setting up my own weight room.
  • miche_smash
    miche_smash Posts: 131 Member
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    Bump!
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    Thanks for posting this and for the responses! My husband wants to work on getting a home gym in the garage, so this is great information!
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    this thread is an eye opener. I am spending $780 per year for my daughter and I to attend the local gym. I think I will work on turning my garage into a home gym over the next few months and cancel the membership at the end of the term. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Geez! for $780 you could get EVERYTHING you need off of Craigslist. I probably only spent about $1000 total and I have a HUGE home gym set up.



    The one-time pricetag is by far one of the best features of home gyms. Pay once, and the gear is pretty much entirely at your disposal. Membership gyms are great for people who don't have the space at home, but your membership is basically you renting the ability to TRY and use equipment, provided someone else isn't using it, already.


    That's very true, I often have to wait for a treadmill or elliptical or, for the kid that's texting to get on with his workout and get off the machine.
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
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    I've set up a weight room at home and love it...best thing I ever did. I bought a bench first but then found I needed a squat rack so added that. I think that's really enough, I'm doing the Stronglifts 5x5 programme and these two pieces of equipment cover me for all the moves. Good luck and enjoy!!
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    I have:

    Squat rack (in the process of being built)
    barbell
    weight plates
    dumbbells
    adjustable bench
    ball
    mat
    pull up bar
    jump rope
    ankle weights
    rubber bands

    ETA: add more
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    I bought almost all my stuff on Craigslist.

    Ditto. If you're in/near a city, people are trying to unload their old workout equipment all the time.

    I bought a rack, and guy threw in floor mats and his whole Olympic weight set.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    I have a power rack, olympic bar and plates, a bench and mats. I have a treadmill nearby that I have had for years but only used in the past year since I started here.

    If you end up going new on a rack I can vouch for the quality of this one. For what I paid for it (about $450 on sale) I was very impressed with the build and features.

    http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Athletics-Inc-BD-Power/dp/B002EJC990
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    Holy cow! Thank you so much for all your replies!

    We're currently stationed overseas in Germany- I'm still learning the language but maybe I can fumble my way through their version of Craigslist.

    @alyhuggan - thank you for the UK websites, hopefully I'll have a better chance of them shipping here. The US sites I looked at do not.

    Along with the barbells we have an incline trainer (treadmill), and I've set up a make shift squat rack with the washer/dryer.

    There is a free gym on base, but I have 2 kids at home and work full time/night shift so making it there is not worth the time and effort. Having a more real home gym will be amazing.
  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
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    Bump
  • sami_83
    sami_83 Posts: 161
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    I am doing New Rules of Lifting and I bought the following:
    -squat rack (second hand)
    -bench (second hand)
    -3x barbells (2x second hand)
    -dumbells (second hand)
    -weight plates (second hand)
    -aerobic step (just for doing step-ups, it has different heights. new)
    -fit ball (new)

    All of that would have cost me less than $300 (Australian).

    I also have a treadmill that I bought years ago, and a poor quality exercise bike which I will hopefully be rid of soon!
    Nothing wrong with second hand, there are plenty of bargains to be had if you keep a good eye out :happy: best of luck with your search!
  • rf1583
    rf1583 Posts: 65
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    We have a smith machine with pull up bar, squat machine, elliptical, couple barbells, lots of free weights, and a few benches. We are going to expand it into the adjacent room which is now an office. We put down rubber flooring too. Here's a pic.
    image_zps67c6be49.jpg
  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
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    could you use a power cage as a squat rack too ?
  • fitphoenix
    fitphoenix Posts: 9,673 Member
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    Bump. One day!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    could you use a power cage as a squat rack too ?

    Absolutely. That's what they're for.

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