Official Home Gym Building Thread

[CaptainRAVE]

did u buy these direct? aren't they like £1k for a plate set?

Yes, bought them direct. I think my shopping basket is a few pages back. Fortunately the heaviest plates were available in rubber which kept the cost down, but the rest were urethane which is a fair bit more expensive.

This is my current bench/squat setup:

 

[Trojan Horse]

Yes, bought them direct. I think my shopping basket is a few pages back. Fortunately the heaviest plates were available in rubber which kept the cost down, but the rest were urethane which is a fair bit more expensive.

This is my current bench/squat setup:

Nice bro, thinking of buying this cast iron pack https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/weights-bars/weight-plates/cast-iron-plates/177-5kg-plate-riot.html
Not sure why you went for rubber - couldn't you put some rubber mats down and save the money on cast iron?

They have bumper plate back for similar cost but I wanted to get a pulley system and the bumper plates are too thick to put on a good weight

Any thoughts on these racks with pulley/cables?
mirafit https://www.mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-m2-350kg-power-rack-with-cable-system.html
ss thor - https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/equipment/squat-stands-cages-blocks/power-cage-with-lat-pulldown.html
aldi - https://www.aldi.co.uk/wellactive-multipurpose-power-rack/p/000000396717200

I mean I literally just want to bench so a half rack (?) like yours would be good, except I think that cable system means I can do stuff like flies, lat pull down and my favourite tricep stuff

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

Is the market about to be flooded with used gym equipment given that gyms are allegedly re-opening on the 4th? Anyone got any plans to sell their stuff?

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

See now I have questions about spotter bars. For squats I get it - you can dump the weight safely. I'm starting to struggle on bench press though but putting spotter bars in means I can't get full ROM? Seems counter productive but then again I do train alone - what's the best course of action?

You need a good arch, and westside spacing on the rack ideally

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Nice bro, thinking of buying this cast iron pack https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/weights-bars/weight-plates/cast-iron-plates/177-5kg-plate-riot.html
Not sure why you went for rubber - couldn't you put some rubber mats down and save the money on cast iron?

They have bumper plate back for similar cost but I wanted to get a pulley system and the bumper plates are too thick to put on a good weight

Any thoughts on these racks with pulley/cables?
mirafit https://www.mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-m2-350kg-power-rack-with-cable-system.html
ss thor - https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/equipment/squat-stands-cages-blocks/power-cage-with-lat-pulldown.html
aldi - https://www.aldi.co.uk/wellactive-multipurpose-power-rack/p/000000396717200

I mean I literally just want to bench so a half rack (?) like yours would be good, except I think that cable system means I can do stuff like flies, lat pull down and my favourite tricep stuff

A combination of factors really
- what was in stock during full lockdown
- I quite like having the handles on them
- they are the same as those in my gym

Personally I do almost everything bar, so I just wanted a rack. Also, not much stock anywhere. https://www.bulldoggear.eu/ has a good selection with decent lead times.

Is the market about to be flooded with used gym equipment given that gyms are allegedly re-opening on the 4th? Anyone got any plans to sell their stuff?

Given my local gym policy of one in one out, I'll give it a miss...and that's assuming they open. I'm actually much preferring working out from home which I wasn't really sure about to begin with. My next project is to setup a temporary gazebo for the winter and then next year looking to build a fully climate controlled gym.

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

Any thoughts on these racks with pulley/cables?
mirafit https://www.mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-m2-350kg-power-rack-with-cable-system.html
ss thor - https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/equipment/squat-stands-cages-blocks/power-cage-with-lat-pulldown.html
aldi - https://www.aldi.co.uk/wellactive-multipurpose-power-rack/p/000000396717200

I mean I literally just want to bench so a half rack (?) like yours would be good, except I think that cable system means I can do stuff like flies, lat pull down and my favourite tricep stuff

If you are looking for a rack to bench with, westside spacing would be hugely beneficial imo. Look at the Mirafit M3. I had the M2 and sold it, as the build quallity was poor, and you can not incline bench on it easily due to the rear bar at the bottom hitting the back of some benches.

The M3 quality is fantastic, very very cheap for what it is imo!

 

[Trojan Horse]

A combination of factors really
- what was in stock during full lockdown
- I quite like having the handles on them
- they are the same as those in my gym

Personally I do almost everything bar, so I just wanted a rack. Also, not much stock anywhere. https://www.bulldoggear.eu/ has a good selection with decent lead times.



Given my local gym policy of one in one out, I'll give it a miss...and that's assuming they open. I'm actually much preferring working out from home which I wasn't really sure about to begin with. My next project is to setup a temporary gazebo for the winter and then next year looking to build a fully climate controlled gym.

How much does the M3 cost? I tried Emailing them and Mirafit have an extremely stupid policy of not being transparent about pricing on OOS items. I would be looking at the one with all the pulleys and dual cable system so I can do everything. They have the M3 but don't do pulley with it?

 

[uncle_rufus]

Just based off my own research I'm worried about getting a rack with a cable system because it might get in the way of the bench for doing incline/decline or whatever, so I had planned to get a half rack (better for space in the garage) and then separately get a lat pulldown / low row station... Mirafit do one of those to for £200

(Edit: I realise the irony in saying half rack for space and then getting another machine - but a lat machine isn't very wide really and can be tucked away to the corner, at which point the bigger problem is just how far into the garage the rack extends - feels like a full rack will feel extremely cramped. I'm thinking of going for the Strength Shop half rack as it has plate storage and westside spacing)

Then in a fantastic twist of fate one of the guys installing aircon at my house got chatting to me about my plans to convert the garage into a gym and said "oh, I have a lat pulldown machine I'm trying to sell" so I ended up nabbing it for £60... it's a Weider Easy Compact 90 which is more of a multigym (has lat pulldown + low row but also a couple of press/fly arms, a way of doing leg extensions and a preacher curl pad... and also has a proper weight stack instead of having to load it with plates... so bit of a result there!

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

How much does the M3 cost? I tried Emailing them and Mirafit have an extremely stupid policy of not being transparent about pricing on OOS items. I would be looking at the one with all the pulleys and dual cable system so I can do everything. They have the M3 but don't do pulley with it?

They do different sizes, but I think they start from £379, and go up to £480 ish depending on the size you choose.

Get a separate cable machine, the rack ones are not great imo. The M3 does not support a cable pulley correct.

 

[uncle_rufus]

Also doesn't the M3 actually have to be bolted down? (whereas a lot of other cages just can optionally be bolted if you want the extra stability...) I did like the look of the M3 though mostly for the westside spacing... but also I feel like having the pull-up bar be a straight bar is better than the multi grip on the M2 - because that one is facing outside of the cage, and I'd like to be able to be inside the cage for pull-ups so that I can use a resistance band across the cage if I need to make it a little bit easier

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

Also doesn't the M3 actually have to be bolted down? (whereas a lot of other cages just can optionally be bolted if you want the extra stability...) I did like the look of the M3 though mostly for the westside spacing... but also I feel like having the pull-up bar be a straight bar is better than the multi grip on the M2 - because that one is facing outside of the cage, and I'd like to be able to be inside the cage for pull-ups so that I can use a resistance band across the cage if I need to make it a little bit easier

Nope, if you purchase the 90cm deep version their is a rear stabilising bar that you can purchase on the website so it does not need bolting down. The M2 pull up bar had a bit of wobble in the handles which was irritating. M3 pull up bar is solid in comparison, also mirafit sells different pull up bars on the website for the M3.

 

[uncle_rufus]

Nope, if you purchase the 90cm deep version their is a rear stabilising bar that you can purchase on the website so it does not need bolting down. The M2 pull up bar had a bit of wobble in the handles which was irritating. M3 pull up bar is solid in comparison, also mirafit sells different pull up bars on the website for the M3.

Ah okay, good to know... I'm still undecided really between the M3 and the Strength Shop half rack... part of me thinks I don't really need a full cage.. especially as it's going to be in a tiny UK garage - going to put it sideways (so that the bar faces length-ways up the garage) as if I go the other way the garage is only about 8ft wide. So the depth of the rack cage is the main factor - the deeper 90cm one would leave me 5ft though (or a tad less if I store any plates on the rear legs) so perhaps that isn't so bad... Hmm...

 

[Trojan Horse]

They do different sizes, but I think they start from £379, and go up to £480 ish depending on the size you choose.

Get a separate cable machine, the rack ones are not great imo. The M3 does not support a cable pulley correct.

Can you recommend a cable machine? Might just get a half rack, I do **** all squats anyway

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

Can you recommend a cable machine? Might just get a half rack, I do **** all squats anyway

What is your budget?

 

[uncle_rufus]

Managed to offload a bunch of items from my garage for free yesterday (a bunch of plant pots and a desk - conveniently things in high demand at the moment!) So operation Garage Gym is progressing slowly... next steps I think:

- Get a garden storage box for my patio (can double as a bench), which will store the lawnmower, garden tools and some other bits and pieces - most of the "dirty" items from the garage basically...

- Insulate the door - going to go with Celotex panels and block up the air vents in the door, can always poke holes later if it's a problem

- There's an internal door from my house wrapped up in there which I want to keep, but have gotten a set of 4 ratchet straps and planning to essentially fasten it to the rafters to get it out of the way

- Then I think I can start cleaning up all the dust and cobwebs and other nasties and get to painting the walls. My feeling there is that although it is masonry it's not "external" so can probably just use those ultra big tubs of cheap emulsion and slather it on with a big furry roller, might take a good few coats as the brick will suck it up but it's not expensive... Contemplating painting the upper half white and the lower half grey as I believe that has the effect of making the space feel wider horizontally, as well as scuffs and things showing up less well on the darker part. But will see - probably go with white all over to begin with to judge how far the paint goes (don't want to end up with 2 massive tubs left over!)

- Horse stall mats or gym mats. I saw some people saying they painted the floor first - is that necessary? I could do that potentially I guess

- Mirrors, decorations, fan/heater and the equipment itself

Long way to go yet but I do enjoy a nice project

 

[dod]

Fitness superstore has some collection only packages in
https://www.fitness-superstore.co.u...-tri-grip-olympic-weight-plates?viewall=1&p=1

 

[Trojan Horse]

What is your budget?

Was going to get a rack for 500 and a cable machine for 500? Do you put olympic plates on the cable machines or do I have to buy stack weights seperately

 

[Trojan Horse]

Fitness superstore has some collection only packages in
https://www.fitness-superstore.co.u...-tri-grip-olympic-weight-plates?viewall=1&p=1

These are cheaper and better quality
https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/weights-bars/weight-plates.html?dir=desc&order=price
177.5kg cast iron with barbell for 470 or just black bumper plates 150kg for 350

 

[uncle_rufus]

Was going to get a rack for 500 and a cable machine for 500? Do you put olympic plates on the cable machines or do I have to buy stack weights seperately

Depends on the machine - the Mirafit Cable machine (£200) you load up with olympic or standard plates... but you can also get others with the weight stack built into it. Typically those ones seem to be more expensive though

 

[dod]

These are cheaper and better quality
https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/weights-bars/weight-plates.html?dir=desc&order=price
177.5kg cast iron with barbell for 470 or just black bumper plates 150kg for 350

they're not in stock though