Hey guys,
As I get ready to start my own family, I want to start buying equipment to do workouts at home while i have an infant or when kids are sick.
I would think I need a squat/bench rack, dumbells, a swiss ball, etc, and an incline/decline bench.
Does anyone have any good equipment ideas? I am budgeting arond $1000 dollars, asked all realatives to give me money for Christmas to put towards this.
I just need help finding the right equipment so I can do TNROL exercises at home. I appreciate your help!!
THanks,
Mandy
May I suggest a really good book?? It's the Men's Health Home Work Out Bible.
It's perfect for someone about to purchase equipment... It let's you know what type of exercises you can do with what pieces of equipment. etc..
I would recommend the Sumo Rack from New York Barbells. (www.newyorkbarbells.com) It is compact and very high quality and sells for $250. The also have some very high quality inexpensive benches to go with it. I have owned this equipment and was VERY satisfied.
I would get an oly bar and plates from a local sporting goods store. They usually have good deals on sets. (Dont forget to get ROUND plates. Otherwise DLs are a little awkward.)
2 pair of plate-loading dumbells and you're all set. You should be able to come in much less than your budget.
Thanks! I will browse this site and see what I can get. I will probably have to put it in the garage, although I may also be able to squeeze it in a guest room. We dont have basements here in NC!
I picked up a chin/dip/leg raise/push up station at a yard sale by my house. I love it. (I paid....$10 for it.) Yes. No typo. Ten bucks. I couldn't believe it. I was doing the same as you. Looking to set up some home equipment when this fell into my lap. Gotta love it.
Any yard sales out your way??? People sale this stuff cheap so they don't have to look at it. Saved me a bundle.
Alwyn Cosgrove answered a Q&A on home gym equipment that I thought was very good.
Quote:
Q: What do you think someone needs to have in a home gym in order to be effective?
A: This is actually an easy one. While anything you have will be useful, basically, I feel there are a minimum of equipment that you will need in order to not compromise your workouts.
First off, you need a way to load a bar on your back – axial loading. This means some kind of a squat rack or power rack. This is the first piece of equipment you need.
Then for the rest of the upper body – we need the ability to push and pull in the vertical and horizontal planes.
Horizontal plane: This just means DB’s or a bar to push or pull against, and probably some kind of adjustable bench.
Vertical plane: DB pressing etc is all you need for vertical pushing, but in order to train vertical pull you definitely need a chinning bar as a minimum.
So it’s a power rack with chinning bar, and an adjustable bench. And some weight. Get over to elitefts.com and get yourself set up.
I picked up a chin/dip/leg raise/push up station at a yard sale by my house. I love it. (I paid....$10 for it.) Yes. No typo. Ten bucks. I couldn't believe it. I was doing the same as you. Looking to set up some home equipment when this fell into my lap. Gotta love it.
Any yard sales out your way??? People sale this stuff cheap so they don't have to look at it. Saved me a bundle.
Hmmm...maybe something to look for online on Craig's list or even ebay.
Thanks everyone.
Ill start my search!
I got a NICE bench with wide uprights that adjust high enough for me to squat and the "bench part" inclines out of the way. AND two Oly bars with over 300 lbs of weights for... $90!!! Craigs list!!!
I workout exclusively at home (and I have a three year old and a 21 month old ... so going to a gym is not really an option for me!) ...
I have a power rack with a cable attachment so I can do lat pull downs and seated cable rows (or anything that would use a high attachment or a low attachment, I just use different attachments for different exercises). The rack has adjustable supports (where you want to start with the bar) and adjustable safety supports (these are a bit longer, to safe you if you can't lift what you thought you could). I got it at Dick's on sale for $179 last spring. It came with a bench that inclines and declines and has a leg extension/ham curl attachement as well as a preacher curl attachment. The accessories included were a long lat bar (which is bent like an EZCurl), a short straight bar, and a single handle (like you'd use with shoulder isolation exercises). I have since purchased a close-grip attachment and a bar pad for squats (although I am asking for a MantaRay for Christmas!). It did not come with any weights ....
I also have an Olympic weight set ... bar, and various plates from 2.5 lbs up through 35 lbs ... the set also has an EZCurl bar.
I also have dumbbell sets in ... 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30s ... don't use much below the 10s anymore ...
I have a Precor Elliptical that I got at Dick's about 7 years ago ... still works great with nearly daily use ... just needs batteries for the console and to work the magnetic resistance. It was around $400 I think ...
I would like a treadmill but I don't have the space ... I HATE stationary biking so I'll never get one of those.
Other miscellaneous things I have picked up over the years ... a stability ball, a full size step bench, a high step bench (they use the same risers, but the high step is square, while the regular step bench is rectangular), an 8# medicine ball ... and a jumprope.
Things I still want ... a pull up/dip station ... not sure if I have the space for this ... ideally I would love a Gravitron instead, but that's not in the budget nor space allotment in my house!!!
I workout exclusively at home (and I have a three year old and a 21 month old ... so going to a gym is not really an option for me!) ...
I have a power rack with a cable attachment so I can do lat pull downs and seated cable rows (or anything that would use a high attachment or a low attachment, I just use different attachments for different exercises). The rack has adjustable supports (where you want to start with the bar) and adjustable safety supports (these are a bit longer, to safe you if you can't lift what you thought you could). I got it at Dick's on sale for $179 last spring. It came with a bench that inclines and declines and has a leg extension/ham curl attachement as well as a preacher curl attachment. The accessories included were a long lat bar (which is bent like an EZCurl), a short straight bar, and a single handle (like you'd use with shoulder isolation exercises). I have since purchased a close-grip attachment and a bar pad for squats (although I am asking for a MantaRay for Christmas!). It did not come with any weights ....
I also have an Olympic weight set ... bar, and various plates from 2.5 lbs up through 35 lbs ... the set also has an EZCurl bar.
I also have dumbbell sets in ... 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30s ... don't use much below the 10s anymore ...
I have a Precor Elliptical that I got at Dick's about 7 years ago ... still works great with nearly daily use ... just needs batteries for the console and to work the magnetic resistance. It was around $400 I think ...
I would like a treadmill but I don't have the space ... I HATE stationary biking so I'll never get one of those.
Other miscellaneous things I have picked up over the years ... a stability ball, a full size step bench, a high step bench (they use the same risers, but the high step is square, while the regular step bench is rectangular), an 8# medicine ball ... and a jumprope.
Things I still want ... a pull up/dip station ... not sure if I have the space for this ... ideally I would love a Gravitron instead, but that's not in the budget nor space allotment in my house!!!
Where do you keep the equipment? We unfortunately dont have basements here, and I am worried the garage will get too cold in the winter.
We have a guest room,and if there is room, I may be able to squeeze it there, but Im sure hubby will have lots to complain about it.
WorkoutGirl, www.eriksgym.com has a great power rack that was cheap (compared to other quality power racks). Also, pick up a 300# olympic set at Dick's or Sprots Authority ($100.00). Check into power block dumbbells and benches due to your space constraints. I've been using my bench for 4 years and it still looks new (super-high quality). Their dumbbells also take up all of 2 or 3 feet squared and you can change weights within seconds. Then, pick up a foam roller, physioball, JC Bands (for cable rows and pulldowns), and a superband for your assisted chinups from www.performbetter.com and your set. You'll still have some change left over for a used bike for the metabolic training/afterburn. Best of luck.
Well,somebody answered my Craig's list ad and has a squat rack, olympic barbell and some plates to sell to me. We are negotiating price...TBD.
That takes care of most of the core excercises.
If I can save on that, then I can buy more equipment. I already have a home spinner bike (was $400 but well worth it!).
I need a swiss ball, some dumbells, a bench that inclines, and a pulley machine (if we have the space).
This is great, I can even work out if we get snow or ice and are trapped at home!!
Where do you keep the equipment? We unfortunately dont have basements here, and I am worried the garage will get too cold in the winter.
We have a guest room,and if there is room, I may be able to squeeze it there, but Im sure hubby will have lots to complain about it.
We own a raised ranch, so it's not really a basement per se, but sort of ... half of it is finished and that is where my elliptical lives (out with the TV so I don't die of boredom while on it!). My power rack and bench and dumbbells live in the unfinished half (what we call the workshop) where the boiler and hubby's crap is ... I have a space that is maybe 15 feet x 10 feet maximum ... and I have to shuffle things around during my workout for space reasons ... ie can't do deadlifts in one area because there's not enough room for the bar ... so I move the bench and do them there ... I can post photos if you are interested ...
One of my dreams is to build a big barn in the back (which hubby wants) and incorporate a large workout area for me ... sigh ... someday if I win Lotto!!!
You are in the Carolinas right? How cold does it get where you live? I could never be in our garage as it gets very cold here in Connecticut, but even as cold as it gets here, our garage never gets below freezing ... so even if the low temp near you is cold, the garage might not get that cold ...
If you search long and hard, you can probably find something cheaper, but it would take some work. Overall it's a good deal (at least here in my area).
You can go to "Play it Again Sports" and get a pair of standard DB bars and 10lb plus 4x5 and 4x2.5 plates for DB work. Perhaps $30-50 for your needs.
A 300lb oly bar from Dicks/SportsMart/SportsAuthori ty for $109.
Now the mats. You'll need 1" for shock absorbance and joint protection. Two 1/2" layers will work nicely.
I think this looks like a good price.......$699. Cheaper than the other website that were offered here. I am going to shop around. The biggest issue is transporation. If I buy the one from Craig's, I wont have a mechanism of transporation, and the bodybuilding site offers free shipping.
I bought this from Dicks, only $300 !!! Its got everything i need. Low, middle and lat bar. Squat rack, can do bench presses.
I also will be buying a set of dumbells
I bought a swiss ball
I bought a stepper, but just need more bottom pieces to make it taller.
Congratulations on your purchase! Looks great! It's so exciting to bring home something like that and start setting up a homegym space. Good luck!
peace,
Matt
Congratulations on your purchase! Looks great! It's so exciting to bring home something like that and start setting up a homegym space. Good luck!
peace,
Matt
While I work out at a gym, my wife will work out if its at home. I was going to get stuff at Big 5, but didn't like the exposed edges of the adjustable DB sets, and their racks and benches all seemed like crap to me.
We lucked out on a Nautilus power rack with pull down capability. Anyone modified one of these to do seated pulls?
If you can use a drill, circular saw and some creativity, you guys can build everything.
Total cost: Squat Rack $11 (3 years ago), Cable Station: $35 (last year)
I am a bit too high class to use an $11 squat rack. LOL Now a $35 cable sation is right up my alley.
Where were you BEFORE I bought my powercage!!!! If you would post some pics and directions for the cable station, I would love to give that a try.
Peter
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Peter
After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend…
I'd also like to see the cable station plans, if thats doable.
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I made a upper cable station for a no-ceiling workout area that cost about that much. It was simplicity itself. I am going to add a lower station in the near future.
I tried to post a picture but it exceeds the size limit. But what I did is bought a couple of pulleys that would through bolt to the side of the floor joists. I bolted them about 30" apart.
I cut a length of coated cable. I threaded a length of cable through the pulleys. I removed the coating from one end and added a "thimbel" and clamp, which makes a teardrop shaped loop in the end of the cable. I put a big wooden bead from a kids toy set ahead of the thimbel to be a stop. That is the end I hook the handles to. For the other end I cut the cable so that with the bead against the pulley it extends to about 24" or a little more from the floor and put a thimbel on that end.
Then I cut a second piece of cable, stripped the coating from the end, and put thimbels on those ends. This is the "yoke" to attache the weights to the main length of cable. I used an old db bar from a set from the 70's, it had a sleeve type hand hold that slid off so it is all bar. You load the bar, loop the yoke cable through the thimbel on the main cable length, loop an each end of the yoke cable around one end of the bar, attach your clamps. I use "standard" plates, so I cut the lenghts of cable so that the whole thing is taut when the bar is loaded with one or more 25lb plates.
Make sure you put the pully far enough of the joist to hold for the weight you intend to use. The pulleys I used are rated for 400 lbs. I put it about an inch from the bottom of the joist because of the shape of my pulley mounting surface, and will probably sink a couple long screws in it to make sure it does not crack the joist. I may just pad them out a bit and put them higher up on the side of the joist for more strenght.
Whole thing took about 35 minutes to make, mostly from screwing around with the thimbels.
home gym equipment
Saved me a bundle. 
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