Home Gym Advice

triggerthat · 29 Dec 2008 at 02:44

Hi guys,

I am spending £42 a month at my gym and I am considering using some space in my garage and turning it into a mini gym. I'd like some advice as to what I should get with regards to weights, apparatus and cardio machine.

So far this caught my eye link. I don't know what else to get so I can hit most muscle groups, without spending a fortune.

Any advice would be great.

Ironic Namesake · 29 Dec 2008 at 08:10

Depends how much you want to spend but can't go wrong with :

Power Rack, bench, oly bar + weights

Freefaller · 29 Dec 2008 at 10:08

Agreed with Overclockao - however bear in mind that training alone does have safety implications when you start going really heavy. With a proper power rack doing squats is less of a problem as you can just drop the bar, but nonetheless getting that last set out, or pushing yourself on that last little squeeze on bench or other such exercises, no spotter could either leave you in a precarious situation, or you may struggle to push yourself.

Richard_16v · 29 Dec 2008 at 11:12

I train at home, all I can say is get a decent power rack, this should offer you the safety of a spotter for most things.

From a motivational point of view, trying to grind out that final rep when alone is hard, put me in a room full of people and i would do a couple more reps than when freezing my backside off in the garage all alone.

triggerthat · 29 Dec 2008 at 18:14

I am mostly doing it from a financial point of view. I have always pefered a quiet gym, although the garage is cold!

Regards to budget, £250 for everything maybe? I like the idea of getting something from eBay so I can collect it.

Ultra_Extreme · 30 Dec 2008 at 01:58

triggerthat said:
I am mostly doing it from a financial point of view. I have always pefered a quiet gym, although the garage is cold!

Regards to budget, £250 for everything maybe? I like the idea of getting something from eBay so I can collect it.

250 will cover about half. Rack and weight your pushing it at 500. Another 300 for a lat tower then the incedentals.

There really isnt room for compromise m8 i have spent a FORTUNE because i did it the 'wrong' way. I started out with sub par kit. Then more expensive subpar kit. Then good kit but not olympic spec. Probably cost me 2 grand in all when a grand in the beginning would have got me where i am now!

Dont forget what £42 a month buys over 2-3 years (36x42 = 1,512) plus gym equipment (good stuff), and especially weight holds its value permanently. Cmon you can buy brand new oly discs at about 1.50 a kilo, i saw a 200kg rusty set go on ebay for 175 the other day!

gareth.e · 30 Dec 2008 at 02:14

Ultra_Extreme said:
250 will cover about half. Rack and weight your pushing it at 500. Another 300 for a lat tower then the incedentals.

There really isnt room for compromise m8 i have spent a FORTUNE because i did it the 'wrong' way. I started out with sub par kit. Then more expensive subpar kit. Then good kit but not olympic spec. Probably cost me 2 grand in all when a grand in the beginning would have got me where i am now!

Dont forget what £42 a month buys over 2-3 years (36x42 = 1,512) plus gym equipment (good stuff), and especially weight holds its value permanently. Cmon you can buy brand new oly discs at about 1.50 a kilo, i saw a 200kg rusty set go on ebay for 175 the other day!

I got completly kited out for £200 on ebay (although I got lucky)

I got: a rack, a pulley system (2 of them), 2 benches (one with hamsting/extention attachment) , a multitude of bars and bits.. 16x10kg plates, 2x20kg plates, 4x5kg plates, 8x2.5kg plates 6-8x1.25kg plates and even some diddy 0.5kg plates

edit: also you get use to a cold garage

but it's still a bit rubbish.. And If it's a house in your room then you will love it

(e.g. your bedroom)

Richard_16v · 30 Dec 2008 at 07:17

Can't remember exactly what I paid, but agree that £250 isn't anywhere near enough.

I'm sure it was something like
£400 power rack & lat tower
£200 Olympic BB and weights
£150 Rack Bench (get a decent bench, one of the cheap wobbly things is ok for a 15 year old benching 40kg but anymore than that and it's a liability!)
£350 running machine
£80 hyper extension bench (bought to help with lower back pain)

^TANK^ · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:50

My home gym set me and my house mate back 5k

Body solids commercial range with 700 kilos worth of Olympic plates. 5,25,35,45,55,60 kg dumbbells and other bits and pieces the floor needed to have rubber matting put down, not cheap! But it really depends on what you want and what your expectations are!

triggerthat · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:41

I'll be getting everything second hand from eBay which should make a big difference?

Morba · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:43

well it would if postage wasnt so dear. weights stuff isnt light

triggerthat · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:52

Morba said:
well it would if postage wasnt so dear. weights stuff isnt light

Am only looking at local stuff. My car shouldn't have a problem

Been checking this out.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300283422560

Morba · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:53

triggerthat said:
Am only looking at local stuff. My car shouldn't have a problem

you would be surprised.
100kg of weight in the boot will make some difference to the way it drives

give it a few weeks, there will be loads of stuff on ebay and in your local free ads

^TANK^ · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:54

Has Christmas indulgence effected you at all Morba I know it has me?

Sorry I know this is totally irrelevant to this thread.

gareth.e · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:07

Morba said:
you would be surprised.
100kg of weight in the boot will make some difference to the way it drives

give it a few weeks, there will be loads of stuff on ebay and in your local free ads

Meh.. I drove for like 14 hours to collect my weights..

I was in southend.. The weights were in chester-le-street (RIGHT UP NORTH) and then destin for Brighton (RIGHT DOWN SOUTH)

There was about 280kg of equipment I'm guessing and me in a diddy little corsa

edit:
.. and to continue the off topic theme.. Tank I love your new sig

^TANK^ · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:16

gareth.e said:
edit:
.. and to continue the off topic theme.. Tank I love your new sig

Cheers

, only due to asim18 messing around for me :cool:

.

Nitrojan · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:21

Bahh I have my weights in the garage, you get used to it - but it does put you off when it's freezing cold! You need more motivation to go out and lift than if you were nice and warm

Morba · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:23

^TANK^ said:
Has Christmas indulgence effected you at all Morba I know it has me?

Sorry I know this is totally irrelevant to this thread.

ive eaten about 150 mince pies, a good 4 or 5 christmas puds and about 10 pints of cream!
then there is the beer on top.

not good, especially as i have had to stop doing anything that involves my feet (my toe has developed a horrible pain when excessive pressure is put on it, same place as where it broke a couple of months ago :/ )

Nitrojan · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:26

Ewww christmas pud

^TANK^ · 31 Dec 2008 at 02:30

Morba said:
ive eaten about 150 mince pies, a good 4 or 5 christmas puds and about 10 pints of cream!
then there is the beer on top.

not good, especially as i have had to stop doing anything that involves my feet (my toe has developed a horrible pain when excessive pressure is put on it, same place as where it broke a couple of months ago :/ )

Oh dear oh dear

, I have hit the cheese, chocolate, spirits, beer

.

Not to worry though we will bounce back

, not literally I hope

.