Official Home Gym Building Thread

Cadder · 4 Aug 2022 at 10:29

Half of my Mirafit cable machine arrived yesterday, other half arriving tonight all being well. Time to make some space in the garage. Possible shuffle around again

arc@css · 6 Aug 2022 at 16:52

That's something I'd like to acquire one day (some home weights/equipment).

I really do not like it when the gym gets busy.

Cadder · 6 Aug 2022 at 19:27

I assembled it together today. It took about an hour and half at a casual pace and wasn't too complicated. Everything looks good - it's quite a decent design with only one exception. The 2" weight plate sleeves that slide over the 1" bars on the carriage only fix via a grub screw in a tapped hole in the sleeve wall. Can't be much more than 1mm thick so it just kept slipping and I think stripped the thread. The sleeve will likely come off when unloading plates.

Aside from that, it's a decent looking machine and it'll serve my needs great. The welds aren't pretty but look like they'll do the job.

Next on the list is wall mounted oly plate racks and a dumbbell set with rack.

Cadder · 7 Aug 2022 at 20:57

Picked up a Mirafit M150 bench for £80 (website £150) and T-Bar Row Platform for £35 (website £55) today. Both in perfect condition. Not a bad deal at all in my opinion.

The M150 beats my Men's Health "Ultimate Workout Bench" which I bought from Argos just shy of two years ago somehow for the few seconds it was in stock. That was £75 and it's so poor I've been expecting it to impale me mid chest press. Maybe it would if I lifted an admirable weight. The preacher pad is useless as the pin that holds it in doesn't get enough purchase and it all drops mid curl.

I know the stuff I've just bought isn't premium but it's a huge step for me, along with the cable machine.

Cadder · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:19

Any recommendations for low power heaters in an uninsulated garage gym? I don't want to heat it constantly, just a little boost in the morning to take the edge off. I'll be looking to situated the bars near them so my fingers don't freeze off when I touch them.

Syla5 · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:22

Cadder said:
Any recommendations for low power heaters in an uninsulated garage gym? I don't want to heat it constantly, just a little boost in the morning to take the edge off. I'll be looking to situated the bars near them so my fingers don't freeze off when I touch them.

Low power and electric heaters dont really go hand in hand. You might want to consider a fuel powered blower heater which will heat up the space quicker and for less to be honest. I run an electric heater that is 400w per bar and has 3 bars that can be turned on individually, so on full pump its 1.2kw, it does just enough to keep my training, still costing 40-80p per session depending on how long im in for and if i can turn bars off or not.

Martynt74 · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:22

I just have something like this from Aldi

2kW Space Heater

Need to warm up a smaller room, workshop or garage? With this portable space heater, you’ll quickly take the chill out of the air – choose from two heat settings, or just use the fan on its own to increase air circulation.The space heater comes with its own integrated stand and carry handle, so...

www.toolstation.com

I find it does a decent job within 5-10 minutes to remove the chill from my Shed.

Cadder · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:38

Thanks @Syla5 and @Martynt74
I'll scrap the low power idea. I'll power it off a Hive plug and set a schedule to come on 30 minutes before we start. Space heater seems a good idea, just point it at what I want warming up.

I don't mind the air being cold, it's the DBs, KBs and BBs I don't like being freezing. I will look into gloves as well

CaptainRAVE · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:41

Cadder said:
Any recommendations for low power heaters in an uninsulated garage gym? I don't want to heat it constantly, just a little boost in the morning to take the edge off. I'll be looking to situated the bars near them so my fingers don't freeze off when I touch them.

I just got one of these, but then my gym is tiny. Only need it to take the chill off and the lower power setting isn’t too terrible:

Fan Heater,Portable Electric Heater 1500/750W with 3 Settings, Adjustable Thermostat, Indoor Space Heater with Overheat Protection, Electric Fan Heater with Carrying Handle for Office Home Black https://amzn.eu/d/0QYKXlw

Not available, but something similar maybe? On not so cold days my dehumidifier warms the place up.

Martynt74 · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:55

Good shout on gloves, it's definitely the cold bars which are unpleasant. Especially if you're in an outdoor space like me.

CaptainRAVE · 12 Dec 2022 at 10:56

Martynt74 said:
Good shout on gloves, it's definitely the cold bars which are unpleasant. Especially if you're in an outdoor space like me.

I usually wrap my hands into my sleeves around them for about a minute. One warm up set with some uncomfortable hands and the bar is good to go if using the same hand positions. I’ve considered gloves, but just can’t bring myself too

LiE · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:00

Martynt74 said:
cold bars which are unpleasant

Do you have space to store the bar inside your house? I used to put it in the hallway during winter.

CaptainRAVE · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:04

LiE said:
Do you have space to store the bar inside your house? I used to put it in the hallway during winter.

Just hope you don’t have a wife who objects

Martynt74 · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:13

LiE said:
Do you have space to store the bar inside your house? I used to put it in the hallway during winter.

For the rare occasions i use my weights it's probably not worth it

I have some fingerless gloves which does a reasonable job.

LiE · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:31

CaptainRAVE said:
Just hope you don’t have a wife who objects

Put some tinsel on it and call it an Xmas decoration

I've sold off most of my home gym and gone back to PureGym so temperature is no longer a concern of mine

CaptainRAVE · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:35

LiE said:
Put some tinsel on it and call it an Xmas decoration

I've sold off most of my home gym and gone back to PureGym so temperature is no longer a concern of mine

Back to the rat race :eek:

I don’t miss it one bit!

LiE · 12 Dec 2022 at 11:56

CaptainRAVE said:
Back to the rat race

I don’t miss it one bit!

I wouldn't have considered going back if I had to train at peak times. Gym is dead at 11am on weekdays.

CaptainRAVE · 15 Feb 2023 at 14:09

Visited the best/closest gym to my second home in preparation for the summer. It’ll do, could have more weight plates, but it’ll keep me going for a few weeks. It at least has a squat rack and bench with safeties. It does show how good my own bench/rack/pull up bar combo is and how well I’ve used my small gym space (2x3m). At least when I’ll use this new gym it seems quiet.

arc@css · 15 Feb 2023 at 20:45

Feeling stronger since I've been increasing the carbs a little, and trying also trying creatine for the first time.

Possibly a little placebo also coming in, which I imagine is almost unavoidable, but I no longer feel listless while moving around the gym.

Agree about the busier times, it can and really does pay to go at other times if at all possible. I find some of the youngsters so selfish and inconsiderate.

LiE · 15 Feb 2023 at 20:46

I'm back training at home, have been for a while. Changed things around a bit.