Home gym. What do I need?
Discussion
Stu-nph26 said:
How much did this set you back if you don't mind me asking I'm looking to get the exact same thing
Sorry for the delay in replying - this completely passed me by!I ordered it from powerhouse fitness as a package and added 4 x 25kg plates extra (245kg total) which I also got some discount on by paying over the phone in full. I think it came to just under a grand but give them a call. I then made the platform for the cost of the ply (4 rough sheets, 1 nice top sheet) and horse matting. This was between £100 and £150 from memory.
horico said:
Sorry for the delay in replying - this completely passed me by!
I ordered it from powerhouse fitness as a package and added 4 x 25kg plates extra (245kg total) which I also got some discount on by paying over the phone in full. I think it came to just under a grand but give them a call. I then made the platform for the cost of the ply (4 rough sheets, 1 nice top sheet) and horse matting. This was between £100 and £150 from memory.
Thanks I've just done something similar myself loving it so far managed to get about 20% off power house fitness over the phone I ordered it from powerhouse fitness as a package and added 4 x 25kg plates extra (245kg total) which I also got some discount on by paying over the phone in full. I think it came to just under a grand but give them a call. I then made the platform for the cost of the ply (4 rough sheets, 1 nice top sheet) and horse matting. This was between £100 and £150 from memory.
Having gone through the process and made many mistakes here's my non expert advice.
Cheap cage with dip bars, either second hand or ebay. This is a must if you want to squat decent weight.
Nice Olympic bar, full size if you have the room.
Spend some money on the bench (second hand again if poss). My first bench was rated at 200kg, I'm mid 90kg, surprising how quickly you start to hit its limit and feel the movement, sturdy flat bench from Gumtree solved this, although moving it is a workout itself!
The following weights:
2 x .5 (helps on OHP when you need to gain a little)
2 x 1.25
2 x 2.5
2 x 5
2 x 10
2 x 20kg bumpers - good for stability on rows and deads.
20kg Basic iron - start with a few then buy a set every time you need - weight goes up surprisingly quickly and also becomes a nice landmark moment, having to buy another set of plates because you lift all that you own
Home made platform - easy project.
And a zillion other things that add very little but help in my compulsive mission to buy all weight that ever appears locally on Gumtree
Cheap cage with dip bars, either second hand or ebay. This is a must if you want to squat decent weight.
Nice Olympic bar, full size if you have the room.
Spend some money on the bench (second hand again if poss). My first bench was rated at 200kg, I'm mid 90kg, surprising how quickly you start to hit its limit and feel the movement, sturdy flat bench from Gumtree solved this, although moving it is a workout itself!
The following weights:
2 x .5 (helps on OHP when you need to gain a little)
2 x 1.25
2 x 2.5
2 x 5
2 x 10
2 x 20kg bumpers - good for stability on rows and deads.
20kg Basic iron - start with a few then buy a set every time you need - weight goes up surprisingly quickly and also becomes a nice landmark moment, having to buy another set of plates because you lift all that you own
Home made platform - easy project.
And a zillion other things that add very little but help in my compulsive mission to buy all weight that ever appears locally on Gumtree
Frenchda said:
Having gone through the process and made many mistakes here's my non expert advice.
Cheap cage with dip bars, either second hand or ebay. This is a must if you want to squat decent weight.
Nice Olympic bar, full size if you have the room.
Spend some money on the bench (second hand again if poss). My first bench was rated at 200kg, I'm mid 90kg, surprising how quickly you start to hit its limit and feel the movement, sturdy flat bench from Gumtree solved this, although moving it is a workout itself!
The following weights:
2 x .5 (helps on OHP when you need to gain a little)
2 x 1.25
2 x 2.5
2 x 5
2 x 10
2 x 20kg bumpers - good for stability on rows and deads.
20kg Basic iron - start with a few then buy a set every time you need - weight goes up surprisingly quickly and also becomes a nice landmark moment, having to buy another set of plates because you lift all that you own
Home made platform - easy project.
And a zillion other things that add very little but help in my compulsive mission to buy all weight that ever appears locally on Gumtree
That looks brilliant. How did you make the platform? I also love the numbers on the whileson the rack and the containers for plates either side of the rack, brilliant idea! Cheap cage with dip bars, either second hand or ebay. This is a must if you want to squat decent weight.
Nice Olympic bar, full size if you have the room.
Spend some money on the bench (second hand again if poss). My first bench was rated at 200kg, I'm mid 90kg, surprising how quickly you start to hit its limit and feel the movement, sturdy flat bench from Gumtree solved this, although moving it is a workout itself!
The following weights:
2 x .5 (helps on OHP when you need to gain a little)
2 x 1.25
2 x 2.5
2 x 5
2 x 10
2 x 20kg bumpers - good for stability on rows and deads.
20kg Basic iron - start with a few then buy a set every time you need - weight goes up surprisingly quickly and also becomes a nice landmark moment, having to buy another set of plates because you lift all that you own
Home made platform - easy project.
And a zillion other things that add very little but help in my compulsive mission to buy all weight that ever appears locally on Gumtree
Having the greatest in the background isn't too bad either for some motivation! Thanks for sharing.
Stu-nph26 said:
That looks brilliant. How did you make the platform? I also love the numbers on the whileson the rack and the containers for plates either side of the rack, brilliant idea!
Having the greatest in the background isn't too bad either for some motivation! Thanks for sharing.
Sorry about the lack of response, only just seen this.Having the greatest in the background isn't too bad either for some motivation! Thanks for sharing.
Some MDF as a base and then some oak laminate flooring, all cut to size and then stable matting, again cut to size for the outside of the platform.
Couple of good links here:
http://straighttothebar.com/articles/2009/03/diy_h...
http://athleticlab.com/build-weightlifting-platfor...
And the plate rack:
http://www.catalystathletics.com/article/48/Quick-...
chris watton said:
Full power cage for sure, with spotters. If you keep at it, you will realise that this is the only way to go to stay safe as the weight increases.
I'm at this stage now.Cage is halfway built in the garage. But it wants a 7ft bar (which I knew before buying) and I'm thinking now's probably the time to move on from the cheap metal weights and spinlocks I bought as a student. Is this a reasonable set to start with?
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/body-power-160...
Need some smaller weights too as I don't fancy trying to go up 20kg at a time.
768 said:
I'm at this stage now.
Cage is halfway built in the garage. But it wants a 7ft bar (which I knew before buying) and I'm thinking now's probably the time to move on from the cheap metal weights and spinlocks I bought as a student. Is this a reasonable set to start with?
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/body-power-160...
Need some smaller weights too as I don't fancy trying to go up 20kg at a time.
Good for you!Cage is halfway built in the garage. But it wants a 7ft bar (which I knew before buying) and I'm thinking now's probably the time to move on from the cheap metal weights and spinlocks I bought as a student. Is this a reasonable set to start with?
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/body-power-160...
Need some smaller weights too as I don't fancy trying to go up 20kg at a time.
When I bought my rack, I did buy a 6'6" spinlock bar, so it fitted the rack.
However, as the weight I lifted got higher, the ends started to bend, and I was irritated with the spinlock collars at this point too. With that in mind, I decided to get an Olympic bar and plates, and haven't looked back since.
I still use my 1" plates for the pulley attachment on the rack and dumbbells, and the 1" bar for T-Bar Rows, so they're not wasted. But if I were to start again, knowing what I know now, it would be Olympic bars and plates from the off.
That link you added seems to be a good deal to get you started. I bought mainly iron tri-plates, but also a pair of 10kg rubber full size encased plates. I did this because it is so much easier changing the plates when the bar is on the floor, rather than having all plates the same diameter - plus I never have to take them off as the weight is only 40kg in total..
So, you could buy that set you link to, plus a pair each of 5's, 2.5's and 1.25kg cheaper iron plates.
768 said:
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/body-power-160...
Need some smaller weights too as I don't fancy trying to go up 20kg at a time.
If you don't mind plain black rubber it will be cheaper. The plates with gaps in are also a little easier to carry than solid.Need some smaller weights too as I don't fancy trying to go up 20kg at a time.
I got mine from Powerhouse Fitness, good company and have further discount codes on the site/open to knocking a bit off if asked nicely. But plates are plates so shop around - somewhere like eBay/gumtree will be cheaper again.
Edited by hyphen on Thursday 14th September 12:21
oddman said:
If you've got the space and the funds this would do very nicely. Don't underestimate space requirements as obviously bench has to pull right out for squats
The lat/low pulley attachment is surplus to requirements for 5x5
2 inch olympic bar is the way to go
I would second this.The lat/low pulley attachment is surplus to requirements for 5x5
2 inch olympic bar is the way to go
I would go for a leg curl bench though if you have the room. Just so you can work the hamstrings using the knee and hip joints. The other thing I'd recommend if you have the funds is getting the weight stack. It just saves so much time and faffing around with weight plates when using the lat low system (I say this me and the other half train at the same time so we swap the discs around a lot, it's less of an issue on your own).
bobmcgod said:
oddman said:
If you've got the space and the funds this would do very nicely. Don't underestimate space requirements as obviously bench has to pull right out for squats
The lat/low pulley attachment is surplus to requirements for 5x5
2 inch olympic bar is the way to go
I would second this.The lat/low pulley attachment is surplus to requirements for 5x5
2 inch olympic bar is the way to go
I would go for a leg curl bench though if you have the room. Just so you can work the hamstrings using the knee and hip joints. The other thing I'd recommend if you have the funds is getting the weight stack. It just saves so much time and faffing around with weight plates when using the lat low system (I say this me and the other half train at the same time so we swap the discs around a lot, it's less of an issue on your own).
chris watton said:
I have that exact cage and pulley attachment, and can confirm it is a great piece of equipment. I have had mine three years now and has been through a lot of abuse, but it's still solid. Adding the weights to the pulley attachment isn't so bad, I have never had a problem with it, which is used mainly for Seated Pulley Rows.
Yeah it's only really a pain when there's two of you and you're trying to get through the work out quickly. Swapping a pin would be far easier than swapping plates around.
I'd really recommend looking second hand if you can as massive savings are to be had. People don't seem to want to collect a rack and weights set so for a days van hire you can save a packet.
I bought a Bodymax CF475 complete with the lat attachment, a ~240kg bench with preacher and leg attachments, ~140kg of cast iron weights with 7" olympic bar, olympic dumbbells, loads of lat attachment bars, two weight trees, all for ~£320. I managed to fit everything into the back of my XC90 but it was a close run thing and I'd not try to do that again.
I needed another couple of pairs of 20kg weights to round out the set to what I actually lift with a reasonable number of plates on the bar but it still worked out less than what the rack by itself would have cost me. Oh and a landmine attachment for the cage, as I loved the one at my gym.
I bought a Bodymax CF475 complete with the lat attachment, a ~240kg bench with preacher and leg attachments, ~140kg of cast iron weights with 7" olympic bar, olympic dumbbells, loads of lat attachment bars, two weight trees, all for ~£320. I managed to fit everything into the back of my XC90 but it was a close run thing and I'd not try to do that again.
I needed another couple of pairs of 20kg weights to round out the set to what I actually lift with a reasonable number of plates on the bar but it still worked out less than what the rack by itself would have cost me. Oh and a landmine attachment for the cage, as I loved the one at my gym.
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