Garage/Home Gyms

[SunriseRep]

Got tired of the waiting and being asked a million questions at the gym. A few years back decided to put together my own gym. Have a barn 30x40 and have put everything that is needed and nothing more. some of the stuff out there is a waste of money. As the old Acronym goes "KISS."

 

[Mufasa123]

Got tired of the waiting and being asked a million questions at the gym. A few years back decided to put together my own gym. Have a barn 30x40 and have put everything that is needed and nothing more. some of the stuff out there is a waste of money. As the old Acronym goes "KISS."

Requires a lot of discipline as finding/acquiring new stuff is fun. I'm space limited so it's easy - everything I need and some select things I want. Prioritization is key in both limited space and limited funds (get most important stuff first). I was training for 25 years before starting so I knew exactly what I needed. To this day I still walk in and just marvel at it loving that it's my own gym in my own house and I always have access to it.

 

[marssel]

This thread is for anyone that has or is looking into putting together a home gym. I got tired of the public gym rat race & people in the early 2000’s. Bought your generic all inclusive functional trainer rack for like $400 and 350lb plate set to start. At the time I had a shack basically that this set in. Less than ideal in the summer time. Terrible actually! Well Katrina blew through the city and wiped that shack setup away.

I drug the machine outside and had it set up out in the backyard. Just open air in the rain, the heat/humidity, and cold. Eventually after a while I rebuilt a nice 20x20 building that would be my new gym. Except this would be air conditioned!!!!! Anyways that’s a lil backstory into my home gym start up.

Fast forward 20 years and I’ve bought many pieces of equipment, tossed some, sold some, etc. Today I’ve pretty much got things situated and I’m able to do any workout a commercial gym offers. Throughout this time period I’ve stumbled upon many websites along the way.

So I wanted to share a list of these websites for anyone interested that heads down this road. Now there’s plenty of big brand name site that aren’t on this list. So if there’s places y’all have utilized and want to share then by all means post em up!

I’ll attach a link for a quickie tour and pics.

Cage

Most areas have companies that buy out closed gyms and refurbish resale. I still enjoy the gym but my home gym has Ivanko bells to 120. Bench, incline bench, preacher, and dumbbell flat bench. Only thing I bought new were the plates 45s and 100s which are the non rubber coated IVANKO and worth the cash. The 5-25s came from a gym that had a bid sale. Brand new it’s prolly 10-15 K that I got for about 5 K in total 7 years ago and it’s all still in very good shape. The resale place even warrantied them for 3 years free. New paint, stickers, cables and pins. You just gotta search for one but there are a lot. I also didn’t pay for delivery which will save you a bunch.

 

[Mufasa123]

The bars I’ve ended up settling on are from Texas Power Bars. I have the bench bar, the DL bar, and the power bar. The knurling is extremely aggressive with I love!!!!! My hands are throughly calloused up so typical knurling still feels slippery.

I’ve got the Operator and Ohio bars from Rogue, but find the knurling to fine. So they got replaced by the Texas Bars.

Also gotta give some love to my Kabuki Transformer Bar! Hands down my go to for any squat!

Cage

I've been wanting an American Barbell Power Bar for a while. Didn't go one sale Black Friday. Not sure I'd have bought one regardless but I looked.

I have an Ohio Bar as general, Crepinsek SSB, Edge multi bar slim model, a few spare cheap bars plus EZ curl etc... Wanted a Marrs Bar but total bitch to store. I don't have issues with low bar squatting and favor more neutral anyway. Really wanted an Eleiko Comp bar too but would be wasted on me. I like the TX bars. Used to train with a dedicated PL crew and we used them all.

Machine wise I'd love a leg press (Nebula or old Bodymasters) but huge space and plate hog. My main plates are Ivanko Revolvers (45s and 25s) which were a big investment even getting their biggest gym discount with a group of friends. Would be a chunk to outfit a legpress. I did splurge and get Revolver 100s to leave on my reverse hyper. Also keeps them close to the ground if we need to pull them for something else. Otherwise I have Rogue comp style bumpers and change plates.

Belt squat has been seeing use but pulled my quad on it a month ago so kind of blew up my training cycle. Rehabbing and making best use I can. Life.

Rogers Pendulum in place of a leg press would work but I've never even tried one. Certainly a sought after piece though so must be decent.

 

[cage99]

I've been wanting an American Barbell Power Bar for a while. Didn't go one sale Black Friday. Not sure I'd have bought one regardless but I looked.

I have an Ohio Bar as general, Crepinsek SSB, Edge multi bar slim model, a few spare cheap bars plus EZ curl etc... Wanted a Marrs Bar but total bitch to store. I don't have issues with low bar squatting and favor more neutral anyway. Really wanted an Eleiko Comp bar too but would be wasted on me. I like the TX bars. Used to train with a dedicated PL crew and we used them all.

Machine wise I'd love a leg press (Nebula or old Bodymasters) but huge space and plate hog. My main plates are Ivanko Revolvers (45s and 25s) which were a big investment even getting their biggest gym discount with a group of friends. Would be a chunk to outfit a legpress. I did splurge and get Revolver 100s to leave on my reverse hyper. Also keeps them close to the ground if we need to pull them for something else. Otherwise I have Rogue comp style bumpers and change plates.

Belt squat has been seeing use but pulled my quad on it a month ago so kind of blew up my training cycle. Rehabbing and making best use I can. Life.

Rogers Pendulum in place of a leg press would work but I've never even tried one. Certainly a sought after piece though so must be decent.

My hack squat/leg press combo is the machine that’ll be replaced next. I picked the one I have now off of Craigslist back in ~08’. It was rusted to hell and back, and stored in an old barn. Paid $300 for it.

I hauled it back home and sand blasted it down to bare steel. Modified/fabricated it some to make it more compact. Replaced the rollers and repainted everything. So I got my use out of it and it was a steal. Just gotta keep the same footprint when I buy a new one. Been eye balling a few currently but have more important commitments financially.

Love the look or the Revolver plates btw. I’ve been thinking of converting all my plates to deep dish plates. I like the look of em! I’ll be in Houston next month for the Holidays and found a fitness center that sells 100’s. Gonna pick up 4 of em while I’m there and save on shipping costs!!

Cage

 

[cage99]

Most areas have companies that buy out closed gyms and refurbish resale. I still enjoy the gym but my home gym has Ivanko bells to 120. Bench, incline bench, preacher, and dumbbell flat bench. Only thing I bought new were the plates 45s and 100s which are the non rubber coated IVANKO and worth the cash. The 5-25s came from a gym that had a bid sale. Brand new it’s prolly 10-15 K that I got for about 5 K in total 7 years ago and it’s all still in very good shape. The resale place even warrantied them for 3 years free. New paint, stickers, cables and pins. You just gotta search for one but there are a lot. I also didn’t pay for delivery which will save you a bunch.

I tried the local gyms here after Hurricanes blew through. Found sooooo many that were getting rid of everything due to water damage. However, they still wanted basically manufacturer cost less 10%. I’m like insurance is literally replacing it all yet you’re still gonna try and fuck over people huh. Told em fuck right off…. So I never bothered trying again. This is NOLA and there’s no shortage of corruption here!

Cage

 

[cage99]

Got tired of the waiting and being asked a million questions at the gym. A few years back decided to put together my own gym. Have a barn 30x40 and have put everything that is needed and nothing more. some of the stuff out there is a waste of money. As the old Acronym goes "KISS."

My dream is to move to the country, have 2-3 acres and erect two 30x40 metal buildings. One for a gym and the other for a workshop! Hell, I’d just make a living quarters upstairs in a loft on the gym if it were just me. The wife wouldn’t let that fly though!

Cage

 

[cage99]

I wanted to add this fella into this thread since he seems to be a DIY’r in home gym equipment. He’s come up with quite a lot of gym equipment made from wood. If anyone is interested he has tutorials on most of his stuff.

Kaizen DIY Gym

https://youtube.com/@KaizenDIYGym?si=UPld6FmZGZieLK6c

Cage

 

[EnhancedFatGrappler]

Nice Setup you got there! Having a Home Gym is awesome. But once you start buying stuff and more gear, there is no end to it . If I had more space left for mine, I'd have at least 5 more plate loaded hammer strength machines in there.

I wish I had a big barn or just enough land to built one for my home gym, I'm currently using the space of the old flower shop of my mum (she retired and the space was empty, I can have it until next Spring).

Here is my setup:




My Dumbbells go from 5-50 kg, got a normal Oly Bar, a Safety Squat Bar, a Parallel Bench Press Bar, Hex Bar.

A Leg Curls/Extension Combo Machine, LegPress / Hacksmith Combo Machine, a Chest Press Machine with adjustable Bench (also Shoulders), my Pulley Station and a Power Rack with a Dual Pulley Setup. Various cable attachements.

 

[comedycentral]

I’ve put together a pretty decent home gym over the years. I have a thread on here somewhere. I have a 20x20 garage full and then a 10x15 shed. I too am out of space now. I bought a cheap pullover machine the other week that’s sat on the drive. I was lucky and picked up pretty much everything pre covid such as my nautilus nitro chest and old cybex row that I paid peanuts for. Sadly now I often see pieces I want but don’t want to get rid of anything else I’ve got.
@cage99 that powertec leverage gym is a great Swiss Army knife piece and there is a guy on YouTube called home gym hacks and reviews that comes up with loads of different exercises and tweaks you can do on that machine. Worth A look.

 

[comedycentral]

One negative to home gyms is the winter if your a fair weather person. In the UK we are currently 3c which I think is about 40f and it will only get colder. I have a decent heater too but I still have to wear a woolly hat hoodie and some old gardening gloves to get started. My old man joints take longer and longer to warm up anyway and add minus temps in it’s a recipe for disaster.
last year I said to myself that I will go to a commercial gym for winter but paid for a days membership and realised that everyone in there was in gymshark with women doing nothing but hip thrusts and tripods set up everywhere. I knew the commercial gym was no longer the place for an old dinosaur like me. I thought I’ll stick with the cold weather and my own music.

 

[RandomMachine]

Oh I remember… LOL.. You caused me to go down a rabbit hole for abt a month easily! I’m an Alibaba newbie so I was scouring weight equipment any chance I got. lol. I’m glad it worked out for you!!!! Post up pics of the setup.

Cage

I have a 40x60 pole barn.

I started working out in 2017 or so at 32 years old. Started with the typical power rack. Did that for a few years learning the basics. Slowly became obsessed and added a machine, then another...and another, and so on. Now I'm running out of room for equipment, or anything else in my shop.

To this day I've never worked out in a commercial gym. I certainly have more equipment than muscles, but I'm making decent progress.

Tried to catch as much in one shot as possible.

 

[Mufasa123]

.
@cage99 that powertec leverage gym is a great Swiss Army knife piece and there is a guy on YouTube called home gym hacks and reviews that comes up with loads of different exercises and tweaks you can do on that machine. Worth A look.

That Powertec piece is great. Lots of people who know their shit usually and rightfully hate on multigyms. This is the exception.

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

Hey Cage!! That’s a nice setup you have there! I have yet to step foot in a commercial gym since getting back in to it! I’ve slowly been constructing my garage gym with equipment! Here’s my “in the works” set up right now! Feel free to send any tips or suggestions my way!

 

[Ranchhand]

I have a 40x60 pole barn.

I started working out in 2017 or so at 32 years old. Started with the typical power rack. Did that for a few years learning the basics. Slowly became obsessed and added a machine, then another...and another, and so on. Now I'm running out of room for equipment, or anything else in my shop.

To this day I've never worked out in a commercial gym. I certainly have more equipment than muscles, but I'm making decent progress.

Tried to catch as much in one shot as possible.

I love the space you have, most ideal. Your home gym has the size and look of a big commercial gym.

 

[cage99]

I’ve put together a pretty decent home gym over the years. I have a thread on here somewhere. I have a 20x20 garage full and then a 10x15 shed. I too am out of space now. I bought a cheap pullover machine the other week that’s sat on the drive. I was lucky and picked up pretty much everything pre covid such as my nautilus nitro chest and old cybex row that I paid peanuts for. Sadly now I often see pieces I want but don’t want to get rid of anything else I’ve got.
@cage99 that powertec leverage gym is a great Swiss Army knife piece and there is a guy on YouTube called home gym hacks and reviews that comes up with loads of different exercises and tweaks you can do on that machine. Worth A look.

Yeah I love that leverage machine. Thanks for the tip on the YouTube video. I’ll check that out!

One negative to home gyms is the winter if your a fair weather person. In the UK we are currently 3c which I think is about 40f and it will only get colder. I have a decent heater too but I still have to wear a woolly hat hoodie and some old gardening gloves to get started. My old man joints take longer and longer to warm up anyway and add minus temps in it’s a recipe for disaster.
last year I said to myself that I will go to a commercial gym for winter but paid for a days membership and realised that everyone in there was in gymshark with women doing nothing but hip thrusts and tripods set up everywhere. I knew the commercial gym was no longer the place for an old dinosaur like me. I thought I’ll stick with the cold weather and my own music.

I have the opposite here. I used to workout in the garage when the humidity was damn near 100% with temps in the upper 90’s, so it’d feel like 125°. As I got older that made working out sooooo much harder! So I picked up one of those mini splits and installed it myself. The brand I have is called Mr. Cool it’s a 1.5 ton system. Picked it up from Amazon for around $2K. It’s pre-charged with Freon so no HVAC technician needed. Took me 1.5hrs to install mine. Now I have AC and heat in the gym. I never use the heat though here! lol

Cage

 

[cage99]

Hey Cage!! That’s a nice setup you have there! I have yet to step foot in a commercial gym since getting back in to it! I’ve slowly been constructing my garage gym with equipment! Here’s my “in the works” set up right now! Feel free to send any tips or suggestions my way!

@SAVAGEPMHNP, man ya done fucked up already with the adjustable Bowflex dumbbells. Trust me I had the 1090’s and finally got so fed up with the breaking I tossed em.

There’s is hope though if you want to spend some extra money to beef them up. The discs on the Bowflex are plastic and break easily. I donated to a fella years ago that was coming up with ideas to make them better. He successfully did. Go to averagejoeinnovations.com. Joe is a great guy and very helpful too!

I love my Ironmaster set for dumbbells. It takes some time to change weights though. I recently just bought the TruLap adjustable set. So far I like em, but you cannot drop these either. They’re 95% steel.

If you want a solid adjustable dumbbell set that’s ALL STEEL and droppable then check out Pepin adjustable dumbbell. They’re pricey!!! They’ll be my next purchase if I’m not happy with the TruLap’s. So far I’m happy with them.

Cage

 

[cage99]

I have a 40x60 pole barn.

I started working out in 2017 or so at 32 years old. Started with the typical power rack. Did that for a few years learning the basics. Slowly became obsessed and added a machine, then another...and another, and so on. Now I'm running out of room for equipment, or anything else in my shop.

To this day I've never worked out in a commercial gym. I certainly have more equipment than muscles, but I'm making decent progress.

Tried to catch as much in one shot as possible.

This is what I want if I’m able to move out of the city and into the country! I’m jealous of the space!!!!!!!!! More space, more excuses to buy more equipment! Hopefully one day I can make that happen.

Cage

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

@SAVAGEPMHNP, man ya done fucked up already with the adjustable Bowflex dumbbells. Trust me I had the 1090’s and finally got so fed up with the breaking I tossed em.

There’s is hope though if you want to spend some extra money to beef them up. The discs on the Bowflex are plastic and break easily. I donated to a fella years ago that was coming up with ideas to make them better. He successfully did. Go to averagejoeinnovations.com. Joe is a great guy and very helpful too!

I love my Ironmaster set for dumbbells. It takes some time to change weights though. I recently just bought the TruLap adjustable set. So far I like em, but you cannot drop these either. They’re 95% steel.

If you want a solid adjustable dumbbell set that’s ALL STEEL and droppable then check out Pepin adjustable dumbbell. They’re pricey!!! They’ll be my next purchase if I’m not happy with the TruLap’s. So far I’m happy with them.

Cage

Thanks, I’ll check them out! Yes, I haven’t been a big fan of them because they feel too wide when trying to do DB rows or curls, anything that I need the DBs closer to my body for!

 

[cage99]

Thanks, I’ll check them out! Yes, I haven’t been a big fan of them because they feel too wide when trying to do DB rows or curls, anything that I need the DBs closer to my body for!

You’d like Ironmaster then. They are small and compact! When I got em I bought the 75lb set, plus the 120lb add on. Now they offer another upgrade to 165lb. I’ve almost pulled the trigger many times to upgrade again but haven’t just yet.

Cage