Official Home Gym Building Thread

But you can add a pulley system to most power racks.

If you add those hooks then you will not be spotted, again may as well get a power rack and be safe in all lifts.
 
Jon33 said:
They allow you to rack a barbell but what happens if you want to bail during the actual rep, the only thing between the bar and the floor is you.
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You set them where you want. Best of both worlds. You have a free bar and a smith bar. The smith bar sits up high while you use a free bar or if you want to use the smith then you take the free bar and supports off.
 
Aruffell said:
You set them where you want. Best of both worlds. You have a free bar and a smith bar. The smith bar sits up high while you use a free bar or if you want to use the smith then you take the free bar and supports off.
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I understand you can place them where you want and that's fine the issue is they aren't going to stop the bar falling onto you half way through a rep.

When you rack the barbell to start the press it'll be so that your arms are nearly extended and roughly above your head. You'll remove the bar and bring it down to your chest. You may wish the bail on the lift at any point between the bar leaving those hooks and being on your chest. Those hooks are only useful for one position - when the bar is racked. They will NOT help you what so ever at any other point of the lift. Therefore unless you decide to place the bar back on the hooks as soon as you start or you finish the rep, the bar is going to end up on top of you.

A full rack (or even half) has the hooks that you talk about AND catchers that will stop the bar landing on you.

For the price you'd pay for that smiths/rack thing you could go for something like... http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk...w-pulley-plus-200lb-stack-and-dip-station.php

That's a full rack, a pulley system with 200lb worth of weight attached, dip attachments and a bench for less than the smiths thing you're looking at.

Edit: And with regards to the best of both worlds, if you've got the capabilities to bench press the barbell I have no idea when you'd be using the attached bar.
 
I fully understand how it works but I wouldn't be chancing weight that I'm not used to without a spotter or I'd just use the smith purpose so that safety is paramount.

You can't do a less press on a squat rack or rows or lay pulldowns etc...

Check on YouTube for Ironmaster im2000 and you'll see tons of videos of Lee priest showing its versatility.
 
Aruffell said:
I fully understand how it works but I wouldn't be chancing weight that I'm not used to without a spotter or I'd just use the smith purpose so that safety is paramount.

You can't do a less press on a squat rack or rows or lay pulldowns etc...

Check on YouTube for Ironmaster im2000 and you'll see tons of videos of Lee priest showing its versatility.
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Not too sure why you've asked for advice as you clearly have your mind set on that ironmaster, even after you've been given better options.

My parting words as it seems like you're going to purchase the ironmaster regardless: The equipment I linked to you can do EVERYTHING the ironmaster can, gives you a full rack and saves you a couple of hundred quid. I'm not sure how much experience you have lifting but when lifting with a barbell the bar path is very rarely in a straight line (the only motion you can use with the smiths) so you'll really hinder yourself whilst benching for example.

I hope you decide to take the advice given and go for something a lot more useful than the ironmaster but if not, enjoy your home gym and don't forget to buy one of these ...http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/bodymax-barbell-pad.php ;)
 
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Jon33 said:
Not too sure why you've asked for advice as you clearly have your mind set on that ironmaster, even after you've been given better options.

My parting words as it seems like you're going to purchase the ironmaster regardless: The equipment I linked to you can do EVERYTHING the ironmaster can, gives you a full rack and saves you a couple of hundred quid. I'm not sure how much experience you have lifting but when lifting with a barbell the bar path is very rarely in a straight line (the only motion you can use with the smiths) so you'll really hinder yourself whilst benching for example.

I hope you decide to take the advice given and go for something a lot more useful than the ironmaster but if not, enjoy your home gym and don't forget to buy one of these ...http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/bodymax-barbell-pad.php ;)
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I am asking for advice, as the IM2000 is a very niche product but seems to offer everything that a rack does plus more such as leg pres ability etc...

It has spotting arms - http://www.valleyfitness.co.uk/racks/im2000-smith/im2000-spotting-arms.html giving you the functionality of the rack too.

I'm spending £3000+ in my new home gym so am trying to really do as much research as possible. At my current gym, I use a variety of machines, although most of my training is done using dumbbells and a bench, I do occasionally use a free-range chest press, a squat rack and a smith machine as I believe they all have a purpose.

Being limited with space, I'm trying to find the best all-in-one solution that I can and I have been looking at the Powertec, but I can't see that it does anything (with the help of attachments like the self spotting arms) over the IM2000 unless you know of anything?

Obviously space is an issue, otherwise I'd buy a rack, a smith and a chest press.

Andy
 
Arufell, I would have to agree with the comments of Euro and Jon here. I too am in the process of building a home gym. Out of the options, that barbell kit with the rubber tri grip weights looks a good purchase so I will probably go for that.

Dumbell wise, if you are into strength training then the weights of that set might become a bit limiting for you. If your intent on it, and can afford another £50 or so get dumbell handles so you can make the heavier dumbells like in this http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk...-olympic-dumbbell-handles-spring-collars.html. Personally if I was faced with the decision of dumbell set like that, with the possibility of having both for space/money wise a power rack and smith machine, then I would rather drop the dumbell set as I do like smith machines. I think those dumbells will take up a bit of floor space although not sure how much.

Personally, the choice of one, between rack and smith, I would take a rack all day long. Only leg pressing would be the one thing a smith could do I would imagine that you can't do on a rack.

I remember first few years of training, all I did was my benching off of a smith machine, made good gains size and strength wise. But then when I started to use free weights realised how bad my form and strength development was. I was bench pressing more on my right hand side than left hand side and the weights would slide about. With a smith machine you can't always be sure how your pressing. Maybe its just a problem unique to me.

But if Smith Machine is the way that you want to go, then the smith machine listed if its self spotting, seems like a goodun.
 
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So I've managed to source a few options for a rack but really torn. I looked at the barbarian rack and it's proper but with all the extras is too much.

Choices are:
Bodymax cf375 for £170
Bodymax cf475 for £275
Bodycraft f430 for £405
Strength shop rack for £435
Megatec power rack for £499

Or left field is are ryno or mirafit for £200 but insure on these really.

Powertec rack looks good,but not sure on the pull up bars.

Thanks all
 
npinn001 said:
So I've managed to source a few options for a rack but really torn. I looked at the barbarian rack and it's proper but with all the extras is too much.

Choices are:
Bodymax cf375 for £170
Bodymax cf475 for £275
Bodycraft f430 for £405
Strength shop rack for £435
Megatec power rack for £499

Or left field is are ryno or mirafit for £200 but insure on these really.

Powertec rack looks good,but not sure on the pull up bars.

Thanks all
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Out of those I like the Strength shop one. I almost actually went for that one, but the dimensions of it would make the space that I have available for a rack a little too tight. Check it for the space you require, and if it fits, that would be my pick.

If your interested in the CF475, this guy does a decent review on it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUFDrc8iJgk
 
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