Official Home Gym Building Thread

Associate
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@MaDMaX** Where did you get your flooring from if you don't mind me asking, looks good!
Thanks :)
From here :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N0F0ERO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just make sure you confirm what colour you want, as title states black/red which is correct but in the details states grey! They also do blue and red as well but not sure if thats still available, you can also get 40mm thick but thats passed my budget and don’t think its needed for what i do
 
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Soldato
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Just putting together my shopping list for the home gym.
At 47 and overweight I need to get back into training. In my 30's I was benching 200kg, Might not get back there again...lol



I'm torn on the Bench. I have the one from Mirafit in the basket. But the Bulldog one looks good... Although looks like cheaper versions are out there, Just not in stock.

And I'll be on the lookout for an ex commercial Cable crossover high/low machine


The job means I can't really get to a gym an we have the space at home.
 
Soldato
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Very jealous haha!

I dunno if it matters to you but the M3 bench is only flat and incline (no decline). I think the Bulldog one does both, as does the Mirafit M2 FID bench which is the one I have (though to be honest I expect to replace it someday as it's not as sturdy as I'd like - though not totally terrible)
 
Soldato
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Unless the M3 bar and coloured plates + drop pads are really important to you - I'd recommend getting this set https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-black-olympic-rubber-bumper-plates-choice-of-size.html and a cheaper bar from Mirafit plus some 2.5kg, 1.25kg iron plates. You'd have more weight and save the best part of £400-500 pounds with no downside imo.

Edit: 7 ft bar for £100 https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-2-olympic-barbell-weight-bar-4ft-5ft-6ft-7ft.html plus the fractional plates here for under £30 https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-grey-cast-iron-2-olympic-weight-plates.html - total cost just over £600
 
Soldato
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Finally got around to uploading/sorting my photos, and since our little gym project is more or less "done"" (at least for the small space we have) here are some pics! Thanks to people with the advice in this thread it was really helpful :D

So first, the before... well actually I don't have a true "before" picture but suffice to say it was like this only totally unpainted and with the entire back of the garage full of crap

Zp7Hl6f.jpg
Sorted out the lighting and midway through painting:
2BcZzpY.jpg
Flooring from arkmat:
Z3IdzUT.jpg
Something something something, tadaa!
Sa7VECW.jpg
OObGkrr.jpg

Quick overview of what's there:
  • Mirafit M210 half rack w/ storage add-on, spotters, dip handles, landmine
  • Mirafit M2 FID bench
  • Primal Strength Pulley Station
  • Life Fitness IC4 Bike
  • Set of Mirafit coloured crumb bumpers (just missing a pair of 25kgs)
  • Mirafit M3 Oly Dumbells
  • Mirafit M3 EZ bar
  • Mirafit Barbells x2 (one men's for me one women's for my wife)
  • Some Mirafit collars + changeplates (mostly for the dumbells)
  • Bulldog Barbell rack
  • Other random bits - whiteboard, Ikea Mirror, little aircon unit, scales etc.
Happy with how it's turned out - it's very cosy but has an okay variety of stuff
 
Soldato
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  • Primal Strength Pulley Station
Happy with how it's turned out - it's very cosy but has an okay variety of stuff

How are you finding the Pulley station.
I was quite picky about my cable machines at our gym... Some ran really smooth others Really didn't. Made triceps pressdowns horrible if it wasn't a nice smooth action
 
Soldato
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How are you finding the Pulley station.
I was quite picky about my cable machines at our gym... Some ran really smooth others Really didn't. Made triceps pressdowns horrible if it wasn't a nice smooth action

I will let you know, only put it together this weekend and not had a proper session on it yet. But my impressions from a quick test are that it seems smooth, I contemplated popping open each pulley and lubing the bearings but decided to try it as it came and it seems fine. It's quite noisy the sound of the bearings on the weight sled sliding up and down the poles - but I can't decide if that's just because in my silent garage it stands out and would be lost amongst the other noise at a gym...

But otherwise yeah, seems good quality, my only complaint really is that one of the 10 M10x50mm bolts was actually an M8! Luckily I had another suitable bolt lying around, but I'm sure if I emailed them they'd have posted one out to me. Very easy to adjust the pulley height and it has nice number indicators laser cut out of the column (unlike my rack which I used white electrical tape and a sharpie to number :D)
 
Associate
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It's a squeeze at the moment, but no regrets with the leg press! Certainly missed having one

1.png
 
Soldato
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Ooh, Nice

I have all my stuff turning up from Friday with the bulk on Monday.. Think I need to get a wriggle on clearing the garage.
Its going to be a bit ugly at first as the garage used to be a snooker room so the decor is dated to say the least....
 
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I ordered a load of floor clips from Origin last night as I’m tired of the floor tiles moving slightly. I was somewhat confused when at 8:30pm I received a call from a lovely lady in Edinburgh asking whether my order was correct and if I had forgotten to add floor tiles :D. I informed her that I ordered the floor tiles months ago, but not the clips. I’m really impressed with that service. At first I thought it was a scam call.
 
Associate
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Would love a home gym but live in a 2nd floor maisonette with a garage round the corner. Tried using the garage but doesn’t have electricity so not idea.

A property round the corner was up for rent, £100pm more the what I pay but a ground floor maisonette with garden and attached garage. Would have been perfect but was gone by the time I see it.
 
Soldato
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The main reason imho to get a full height rack rather than the one you listed is that it's much nicer returning the bar to j-hooks on tall uprights than it is trying to replace it into those upward pointing hooks. Imagine you've just done a massive squat set that's really taken it out of you - on a full height rack you can just walk the bar in until it hits the uprights then lower it onto the hooks, on the first one you linked you'd have to shimmy forwards and then try to carefully line it up with the hooks etc. More likely to mess up, more likely to injure yourself etc.

If you don't want (or have space for) a full rack though you could get a half one - I have the Mirafit M210 half rack
 
Associate
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Interested in getting a rack for bench press + squats: Came across this thing:
https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-m2-adjustable-squat-and-bench-press-rack-with-spotter.html
Which looks great, but... am I missing a trick it not paying a more for a full rack? Eg:
https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-m3-power-rack.html
I never have any interest in doing pull-ups, or using cables, so just wanted to get other people's views.
Thanks

The M3 Power rack is far better for benching due to it having west side spacing which will allow you to perfectly place spotter bars.
Do you already have a bench and barbell?
 
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