Official Home Gym Building Thread

[200sols]

I would suggest the mirafit cheaper 7ft barbell, it is perfectly good enough for 95% of people. Use that saved cash for some fractional plates which will help you out more IMO.

https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-2-olympic-barbell-weight-bar-4ft-5ft-6ft-7ft.html

 

[Kreeeee]

For that budget I would get a bench and an adjustable set of dumbbells.

The lack of range of weights on a Olympic bar would be frustrating.

 

[FatalError]

 

[FatalError]

Not sure if the images will display here. I have been fitting a garage gym over a while now. I posted in here when I was mostly using bodymax stuff but tbh it wasn't the best of quality. I had their half rack and high low station which was all a bit flimsy.

What I have now will hopefully last me a long time and allow for quality sessions, happy building!

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[LiE]

Looks like a good setup, how do you find the squat bar ?

 

[B&W]

Someone told me today at the gym that the barbell on bench press I was using was 25kg.

I don't know if it was, his argument was that it was thicker then the other one. What's the best way to find out.

One good thing about your home gym you know exactly what your lifting week in week out.

Of course a proper gym is better due to the selection of equipment. Plus people you can ask for advice, spot and the motivation to do better then the guy next to you.

 

[Somnambulist]

It will clearly feel heavier than a normal barbell if you hold it in one hand, say, compared to some other bar in the gym. Is it branded? All my gym’s barbells are Texas ones - power bar (centre knurling, average thickness, 20kg), deadlift bar (no centre knurling, bit skinnier, 20kg) and squat bar (extra wide centre knurling, thicker and longer, 25kg) - so even without weight being labelledI know what’s what.

Thicker doesn’t necessarily mean more weight though - my other gym, the Pure one next to my work has their standard barbell which is a bit thicker than average and these slightly skinnier bars in the ‘functional’ rack area which are a bit more like a decent actual Oly bar (better knurling, bearings so the collars rotate smoothly), but both are 20kg.

 

[FatalError]

Looks like a good setup, how do you find the squat bar ?

Thanks

It is good, i only use it for standing calf raises and it is perfect for that. I can rest the bar on my traps and just hold on to the uprights of the rack

 

[GR63]

Thanks for the advice Lie, I wonder whether weights are better replaced with cardio stuff for 50+ gym users?? Not sure I get the fascination with lifting

 

[LiE]

Thanks for the advice Lie, I wonder whether weights are better replaced with cardio stuff for 50+ gym users?? Not sure I get the fascination with lifting

I would suggest both, unless you fancy becoming weaker as you age.

 

[GR63]

Fair point... so maybe lose some weights from that list and what for the cardio? Exercise bike? I confess I loath those cross trainer machines at "pay gyms"..

 

[Skidder]

Thanks for the advice Lie, I wonder whether weights are better replaced with cardio stuff for 50+ gym users?? Not sure I get the fascination with lifting

Everything I have read suggests huge benefit to resistance as you age. I am 46 and lifting only a few years but so glad I do. I do cardio stuff as well.

 

[#Chri5#]

Back at the start of 2019 an fitness instructor ran weekly sessions in our village hall but unfortunately they stopped after a few months. We've carried on at home since then and have a small collection of equipment including dumbbells (heaviest are a pair of 7kgs), kettlebells (biggest 12kg), medicine ball (4kg) and resistance bands. We mix up the exercises each week, so CV (skipping, shuttle runs), weights, stretches, press-ups, yoga etc etc. I enjoy the mix and believe it has hugely helped my running & cycling

I'd like some heavier dumbbells but prices are silly still. I paid £33 for the pair 7kgs in January 2020 - they are now double and 10kgs are over £80 on Amazon. I remember from our organised classes the most challenging exercises used an A frame for pull-ups, dips etc, so would like to get these into the weekly mix.

Is the Pull Up Mate the best choice? I like how it can be setup / broken down quickly and it doesn't seem unreasonably priced.

https://www.pullupmate.co.uk/original-pull-up-mate.html

 

[200sols]

Check out mirafit for dumbells, cheaper than amazon.

 

[builder22]

Will the spotter bars on these work for doing bench press?
https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-adjus...151Jt1wn5xSgy7QzI4c16B-rqumS8cGxoCt14QAvD_BwE

Watched a vid earlier of someone using the bars in a power rack as spotters for bench press…but they rolled the barbell all the way to the front after it was down on the bars, not sure if the above rack would do the same job?

the vid… https://youtu.be/Ru0scbx8DuI

 

[LiE]

Should be fine. The spotter arms essentially become the hooks for holding the bar.

 

[builder22]

Cheers...actually say that Mirafit rack on your post on the last page...I see theres similar ones but looks like that has the longest spotter bars...
Ive got an old York 6605 bench and 5ft 25mm bar with about 70kg weights so hoping to use that with the rack to keep cost low... any issues there?

 

[GR63]

Back at the start of 2019 an fitness instructor ran weekly sessions in our village hall but unfortunately they stopped after a few months. We've carried on at home since then and have a small collection of equipment including dumbbells (heaviest are a pair of 7kgs), kettlebells (biggest 12kg), medicine ball (4kg) and resistance bands. We mix up the exercises each week, so CV (skipping, shuttle runs), weights, stretches, press-ups, yoga etc etc. I enjoy the mix and believe it has hugely helped my running & cycling

I'd like some heavier dumbbells but prices are silly still. I paid £33 for the pair 7kgs in January 2020 - they are now double and 10kgs are over £80 on Amazon. I remember from our organised classes the most challenging exercises used an A frame for pull-ups, dips etc, so would like to get these into the weekly mix.

Is the Pull Up Mate the best choice? I like how it can be setup / broken down quickly and it doesn't seem unreasonably priced.

https://www.pullupmate.co.uk/original-pull-up-mate.html

Had no idea they'd gone crazy... Mrs had me stop off the pick up a 12kg kettle she got off FB and I was thinking £20 was a LOT but.... maybe not... Surely with things unlocking prices will imminently drop?

 

[uncle_rufus]

I wouldn't count on it.... I've been on the email notify list for a few things for months and have noticed that when they finally come into stock and notify me they've often gone up in price (sometimes massively)

 

[GR63]

Is this the Fitness version of GPU Scalping then?