Soldato
Haha I thought I was pushing it with 10" space each end of the bar Benny! 
In other news still waiting
In other news still waiting
Official Home Gym Building Thread
- Thread starter Psycho Sonny
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Haha I thought I was pushing it with 10" space each end of the bar Benny!
In other news still waiting
A 6" margin of error is living a bit dangerously, especially as the garage is just single brick so a nudge from an oly bar with a couple of plates on it will probably bring it down
Be a good reason to rebuild it bigger and properly though
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Phaser:
I have that rack, it's a great piece of kit. Haven't had the chance to assemble the pulley due to lack of room as mine is side on in a passage way.
My assembly tips would be to follow the instructions and build it from the base up. And also when tightening nuts/bolt you'll get to a point where the box steel just starts to crush and become concave so I'd stop tightening before this point.
If you haven't got a socket set with 2 wrenches or some spanners or both you're going to be there a while
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I'm due to complete on my house in mid/end of October which gives me a garage 2.5 meters wide and around 5/6 meters long. So the power rack's going in the back which will give about 6" between each end of the oly bar and the wall
I'm also raising an eyebrow over the following:
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk...oogle&utm_medium=Froogle&utm_campaign=Froogle
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk...ower_130kg_rubber_hex_d_bell_set_/9030_p.html
1-30KG should be sufficient, in previous years of training I've used much heavier however I don't have the need or space for 40-50KG dumbells, nor the money. I might improvise and strap some plates to the larger DB's.
These would be another option for the 12.5KG + depending on the construction of the other example. Doesn't work out much more expensive but might be unnecessary as I don't throw DB's about as that's how they get ruined and fall apart on your face:
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/dumbbells/york__legacy_full_commercial_dumbbells_x1/9112_p.html
Not only have I got a fair bit of kit going in the garage but I've also got a sports bike to squeeze in the end toomay well have to pick the front up and swing it in sideways!
I'll be sure to take some before & after shots along with some progress shots and review and new bits of kit as we all love photos.
forget those dumbells, get a set of ironamsters, if money and space is a issue, they already come with a "stand" to put them on and a shelf for the weights, accessories.
the 34kg set is £474.95 and the 54kg set is £674.95
http://www.valleyfitness.co.uk/Adjustable Dumbbell
but you can buy the 34kg set and get the add on to make it 54kg's at a later date but it works out more expensive that way.
you can also use the add on set and the weights and normal set on their adjustable kettlebells too.
the handles for kettlebells are £99 each so you could sell your current kettlebells and use this option if you wanted to.
so £674.95 would get you up to 34kg dumbells and up to 26kg kettlebells (2 pairs of each weight) and £874.95 would get you up to 54kg dumbells and up to 36kg kettlebells (2 pairs of each weight)
also those types of racks are bad, i have one and moved all my dumbells off it onto my york rack.
take a look at my pictures from earlier on in thread.
definetely get the ironmasters benny, they save space, time and are solidly built, you can even drop them from a great height onto matting and they wont break unlike cheaper imitations like bowflex.
also if your looking for matting
https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/rubber-gym-mat-6-x3-12mm-thick.html
that is the cheapest and best value for money that i know of.
you will need to double them up though for your deadlifting and dropping heavy dumbells onto, but under your rack and other stuff you should only need 1 mat.
£20 a mat, other places charge 3 times that for slightly thicker mats. so even doubling them up works out far cheaper.
Thanks for the reply. A very quick reply before I shoot off for a meeting.
I've been aware of the iron masters for a while but have more recently been making good use of supersetting, so having fixed DB's ready makes this possible. Out of interest how quickly can weight be adjusted on the iron masters?
Ta for the heads up on the rack. That particular rack is just an idea. I may well grab some scaffolding & joints which would be cheaper, stronger and modular.
The DB's in the second link look to be a more suitable option for 12.5KG + due to the method of manufacture, or would you disagree?
Ta for the heads up on the mats too.
I've been aware of the iron masters for a while but have more recently been making good use of supersetting, so having fixed DB's ready makes this possible. Out of interest how quickly can weight be adjusted on the iron masters?
Ta for the heads up on the rack. That particular rack is just an idea. I may well grab some scaffolding & joints which would be cheaper, stronger and modular.
The DB's in the second link look to be a more suitable option for 12.5KG + due to the method of manufacture, or would you disagree?
Ta for the heads up on the mats too.
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i have both those legacy roundhead dumbells and the rubber hex dumbells
i have 2.5kg to 10kg yorks, 12.5kg to 25kg rubber hex's and 27.5kg to 45kg york's
i honestly think the rubber hex's are a lot better.
take a look at my pictures
that dumbell rack is poor because of the way it is made, it's hard to explain without being able to physically show you, but the metal parts that come up are too long for smaller dumbells, also the rubber hex's dont fit on them properly. so it was actually ruining the dumbells slightly.
my york dumbell rack is amazing though.
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk..._flat_tray_holds_14prs_legacy_dbs/7902_p.html
that is my rack above but it is also available in a smaller size below. notice this has a large flat surface coated in rubber for the dumbells. this is made to last and protect.
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk..._flat_tray_holds_10prs_legacy_dbs/7901_p.html
it is much better for dumbells.
but tbh just go for ironmasters, they are supposed to be extremely quick for changing weights.
look at these videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dw105s6UiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcBj0o71V3k
its an extremely fast spin lock type system, would take 10 seconds each dumbell.
not exactly the best option for super setting i know.
if you really want a full dumbell set, i might sell you mine, just so i can buy ironmasters, lol
2.5kg up to 45kg, with 2 dumbell storage racks.
need to come up to glasgow to collect
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Interesting thread. When I read the title though I thought it was about literally "building" a home gym. Do people not construct these things themselves retro on the cheap? Surely a power rack is just a load of metal screwed together? I know someone that could probably weld something similarly solid. I'm slightly shocked at the cost of it all. No wonder people go to gyms at £50 per month without so much as batting an eye lid. It would take a few years for it to work out cheaper than even expensive gyms I guess.
I was thinking of "just" getting/building up a basic squat rack, a bench and a method of doing dips/chinups/pullups perhaps by improvising with some metal framing again. Surely it can be done on the cheap and safely? Just build it solid.
Other question I have.... I am contemplating using my garage for this if I ever go down this road. It is separate from the house and gets cold obviously. What are the implications of equipment getting cold? In what way does this hamper use? Is it condensation on the metal making things slippery? Will the weights become more brittle/weak in the cold? Is that even an issue? Or is it more to do with it just being too cold in terms of comfortable temperature to work out in?
Appreciate some answers. Thanks
I was thinking of "just" getting/building up a basic squat rack, a bench and a method of doing dips/chinups/pullups perhaps by improvising with some metal framing again. Surely it can be done on the cheap and safely? Just build it solid.
Other question I have.... I am contemplating using my garage for this if I ever go down this road. It is separate from the house and gets cold obviously. What are the implications of equipment getting cold? In what way does this hamper use? Is it condensation on the metal making things slippery? Will the weights become more brittle/weak in the cold? Is that even an issue? Or is it more to do with it just being too cold in terms of comfortable temperature to work out in?
Appreciate some answers. Thanks
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Interesting thread. When I read the title though I thought it was about literally "building" a home gym. Do people not construct these things themselves retro on the cheap? Surely a power rack is just a load of metal screwed together? I know someone that could probably weld something similarly solid. I'm slightly shocked at the cost of it all. No wonder people go to gyms at £50 per month without so much as batting an eye lid. It would take a few years for it to work out cheaper than even expensive gyms I guess.
I was thinking of "just" getting/building up a basic squat rack, a bench and a method of doing dips/chinups/pullups perhaps by improvising with some metal framing again. Surely it can be done on the cheap and safely? Just build it solid.
Other question I have.... I am contemplating using my garage for this if I ever go down this road. It is separate from the house and gets cold obviously. What are the implications of equipment getting cold? In what way does this hamper use? Is it condensation on the metal making things slippery? Will the weights become more brittle/weak in the cold? Is that even an issue? Or is it more to do with it just being too cold in terms of comfortable temperature to work out in?
Appreciate some answers. Thanks
this is what your looking for
http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/
that guy makes some of his gym equipment.
yes it can all be done on the cheap, but unless you yourself are a decent joiner/carpenter/welder or have mates who are, it is going to be a lot more hassle than it's worth surely?
i can build a rack, bed, wardrobe, etc. even build a pc.
ask me to weld something and i would not be confident about doing it. ask me to drill holes, etc and i would fail.
the cold is a problem, ideally you would want your home gym to be insulated.
i am either going to convert my current garage into a part of my house, get it fully insulated, heated, etc. or when i move house do that to my new garage which should be a double or build an extension just for my gym and a spare bedroom upstairs or take one of the spare living rooms for my gym so it's inside the home.
during winter it can get too cold to train, with zero insulation, heating would be pointless, the equipment gets too cold to touch, etc never mind use.
i am in scotland though, so a lot colder up here and poorer weather all year round.
ideally you would want it fully insulated as a bare minimum, so even though if you dont have heating in it, you could get a cheap electric one and switch it on 30 mins before you go in.
i can normally use my gym no problems at all for about 9 months of the year
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what you could maybe do if you wanted to superset is even buy 2 sets of ironmasters, lol.
would that work out cheaper than buying a full set? or maybe buy a set of ironmasters and a set of ironmaster kettlebells and use them?
if you really want to go down the full dumbell set route, try and get them second hand.
i got all of mine second hand and it was a lot cheaper than buying brand new.
as you can see of the ones i have fully restored, they look brand new.
Thanks for the info. I will check that site.
So firstly the cold thing seems to be the priority to sort out. Assume I "insulated the garage". What does this involve exactly? Also, I can get no power to my garage. Can you get heaters that run on batteries or fuel that you can set to turn on at certain times of day?
I'm keeping my eyes peeled for some second hand bargains if something suitable comes up.
Tri-sets & giant sets also come in to my workout so I don't think adjustable dumbells will allow me to train with the intensity I need.
They could however be a good option for heavier work and obviously take up much less space.
Tri-sets & giant sets also come in to my workout so I don't think adjustable dumbells will allow me to train with the intensity I need.
They could however be a good option for heavier work and obviously take up much less space.
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this shows you how that guy done it, with plenty of pictures.
http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/garage-gym.html
basically you would need to build a wooden frame inside your garage.
then put insulation inside the frame (http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/M/AE_mineral_wool_insulation.html).
then nail or screw plasterboard to the frame.
then plaster over the plasterboard.
then paint to your desired choice of colour.
the roof of the garage i have no idea how you would insulate it, but im sure it would be similar to the walls.
you can get gas heaters which run of those blue calor gas cylinders.
also i wouldn't insulate the garage door, i would get rid of it and get a normal door. therefore some brickwork would need to be done as well. therefore it would no longer be able to be used as a garage. but i would make it a large door so i could get my rack out without having to dismantle it. probably need some sort of planning permission for that though.
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Thanks! I will look into the options. I rent and do not own my garage, so fundamentally changing it is out of the question. Putting down temporary/semi permanent and preferably cheap insulating material however, would be doable.
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maybe if you bought a marquee or tent the same size as your garage, most likely need to be a custom job?
otherwise i dont think anything else that is temporary or semi-permanent would be worth it.
if you do find something though, let me know, as i really need mine insulated, the cheaper the better.
your better off having it inside your home tbh. for all the hassle it's going to cause. get rid of the dining room and stick some matting down, or something.
Cheers for the offer mate, but I have had a think about it and I think I am just going to go for Ironmasters! You have sold them to me. Plus for anyone looking to purchase, check out their website at valley fitness, they are offering a great discount as they are out of stock at the moment.
Cheers for all the other advice on benches racks etc but I think I am just going to go for the premium strength package and get the dip attachments and see what else they will throw in. Will ring them up and try and haggle them down on the price. That will be all I need won't it?
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wow
10% discount if you order within the next few days
We have seen unprecedented sales over the last few months, due to international recognition of the quality of Ironmaster equipment and the positive coverage that the equipment has had in magazines and online!
Unfortunately, this has meant that we are currently out of stock of a number of items and, due to factory production schedules, our new stock is scheduled to arrive at the end of October.
We'd love to pass on some of our success to you! We are offering great discounts on all paid for, out-of-stock items (excluding shipping) that are ordered before our new stock arrives!
Proceed with placing your order, as usual, on the website and then we will refund the relevant amount within 24 hours:
10% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 5th September & 11th September
9% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 12th September & 18th September
8% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 19th September & 25th September
7% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 26th September & 2nd October
6% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 3rd October & 9th October
5% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 10th October & 16th October
4% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 17th October & 23rd October
3% refund on out-of-stock items ordered & paid for between 24th October & the arrival of stock
Items in an order that are in stock will be sent straight away, with the remaining items following when the new stock arrives.
Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused, but we trust the above discounts go some way to make up for this!
Kind regards,
The Valley Fitness Team
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Spotted this on the Valley website this evening which pretty much sold it to me.
The standard kit + the 120LB add on for £600!
Don't need them till October anyway which suits me perfectly
Edit: £48 shipping, oh my!
you have to think about how much they weigh, gym equipment costs a lot to ship. but yeah, the proof is in the pudding, they are sold out due to high demand, because they are that good. they are the best you can get basically apart from a proper dumbell set which costs 4-6 times as much.
should give you enough time to get all your other stuff sorted out.
the first thing i would order is matting, have all my matting placed down before building or moving in anything.
Way ahead of you there. Unfortunately until I have my completion date I can't order any.
Edit: I can partially vouch for what seems to be good customer service from Valley Fitness.
As I'm moving at the end of October I asked if they could contact me to potentially dispatch my order to a different address. Or if they could just hold on and not deliver it until I am ready. I also made a bit of a typo/accidental autospell on the address so sent through an enquiry along with my order at about 11PM last night and had a polite reply at 9:30 this morning confirming my request is do-able and that my 10% 'out of stock discount' would be refunded to me today.
Edit: 10% refund received.
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well, if i didn't have dumbells already i would have jumped on that deal.
they are their UK distributor so you would think they would be good. in fact they are the only company in the UK which sells them as far as i am aware.
it's good that they refund you straight away too, so at least it isn't all tied up until dispatch.