Dream Oly garage gym advice

[tkinsley]

Alright, I'm just about ready to set up my own little piece o' heaven--as soon as I pick a new house to rent, I'm setting up.

I'm still deciding Eleiko vs Werksan for bars and bumpers, but what I'm really unsure of is what type of racks to buy--do I just go for squat stands, or a power rack? Both? How about a standard bar for squatting and such?

Platform is already covered--hubby is handy, so a trip to the feed store and some plywood and that's taken care of. What am I forgetting?

Thanks for your help, guys (and gals).

Tina

[Alcoholiday]

we have werksan bumpers at my gym, and they're nice.

what about glenn's set?

[Lost Dog]

I'd get a power rack, not a squat rack. That way, you'll be safer when you're alone.

Some racks have attachments for cable/pulleys or pullup bars, too. Those would be handy. At the very least, it's makes a good attachment point for the TRX.

Get at least one standard bar, too. What kind, I have no idea.

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

we have werksan bumpers at my gym, and they're nice.

what about glenn's set?

I'm going to spend a few hundred more just to get what I want. At this point in my life, I can actually afford it.

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

I'd get a power rack, not a squat rack. That way, you'll be safer when you're alone.

Some racks have attachments for cable/pulleys or pullup bars, too. Those would be handy. At the very least, it's makes a good attachment point for the TRX.

Get at least one standard bar, too. What kind, I have no idea.

I have a "jungle gym" that Ross hung from the beams in my current garage with chin/pull up bar, suspended O rings, and the TRX. Now, ask me how much I use it.... Damned oly lifting!

Good point on the power rack. Thanks, Roland.

[Alcoholiday]

well, power cages are nice, but are you going to be doing stuff where you can't dump the weight?

you can dump the weight in most any exercise you do, except maybe have problems with the back squat. Plus, if you dump in a power rack, you're going to risk bending the bar on the pins.

[Alcoholiday]

manny will chime in here. He's lifted w/ a few different bars and has his preferences.

[PowerManDL]

If you're mostly worried about OLing, I'd just get a decent set of stands. With bumpers you can just dump anything you miss.

For my needs I'd get a rack, but I'd be doing stuff that would call for it. If you're not, no real need for the space and the expense.

[bigDman]

dont forget a GHR/reverse hyper. If you are looking for a good regular bar I'd go with the texas power bar

[LisaS]

will you be benching at all?

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by tkinsley

Alright, I'm just about ready to set up my own little piece o' heaven--as soon as I pick a new house to rent, I'm setting up.

I'm still deciding Eleiko vs Werksan for bars and bumpers, but what I'm really unsure of is what type of racks to buy--do I just go for squat stands, or a power rack? Both? How about a standard bar for squatting and such?

Platform is already covered--hubby is handy, so a trip to the feed store and some plywood and that's taken care of. What am I forgetting?

Thanks for your help, guys (and gals).

Tina

The eleiko and werksan plates are pretty indistinguishable right now and I dont care for either design (I like the 2nd generation werksan training set or the last generation eleiko set). Overall, I think werksan has a better bar.

If you know how to dump weight when squatting, then I would just get the squat stands. If not, then maybe some sort of rack with pins would be useful. If you want to bench press, Id just get a nice bench and get the dumbbell set that adds weight through a pin for space saving.

I would use the oly bar for all things squatting, overhead, and pulling related, no need for a separate bar unless you have a partner and dont want to share, which is understandable with a werksan bar

The only other thing that I would add is boxes so that you can do pulls from various positions, and if your hubby is really good with carpentry, some jerk boxes.

[bigDman]

pylos boxes to jump on would also be nice

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

The eleiko and werksan plates are pretty indistinguishable right now and I dont care for either design (I like the 2nd generation werksan training set or the last generation eleiko set). Overall, I think werksan has a better bar.

If you know how to dump weight when squatting, then I would just get the squat stands. If not, then maybe some sort of rack with pins would be useful. If you want to bench press, Id just get a nice bench and get the dumbbell set that adds weight through a pin for space saving.

I would use the oly bar for all things squatting, overhead, and pulling related, no need for a separate bar unless you have a partner and dont want to share, which is understandable with a werksan bar

The only other thing that I would add is boxes so that you can do pulls from various positions, and if your hubby is really good with carpentry, some jerk boxes.

we've got the first generation werksan, i believe, the ones with the colored writing. they're pretty nice.

[Buk]

I don't think I would do without a bar jack for changing bumpers when working off the floor. And for a dream gym I would have jerk blocks, because I can jerk a lot more than I can lower without dumping, and getting it ready for another attempt is a pain, espically since my jerk is stronger than my clean - that is why I can't live without my bar jack even on jerk day.

[tkinsley]

This is GOLD, all. Thanks. Buk, what the hell is a bar jack?

Manny, what is it that you don't like about the bumpers? Not like I have a lot of choice--whichever bar I'm purchasing, that will be the bumpers that go with it. Apparently, werksan gives a ton of cash and equipment to USWA, so I'm inclined to support them just 'cuz.

In re: squat stands, which ones are super solid? Some that I've worked with scare the shit out of me--they just move and wobble way too much.

I'll probably get the bench later, since I'm locked into 24 hr fitness for another 2 years, I might as well use their disgusting equipment for that purpose!

Thanks a bazillion, everyone.

Tina

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by tkinsley

This is GOLD, all. Thanks. Buk, what the hell is a bar jack?

This:

Elite Fitness Systems

Basically you put it under the bar and it lifts it so that you can slide plates off easier.

Manny, what is it that you don't like about the bumpers? Not like I have a lot of choice--whichever bar I'm purchasing, that will be the bumpers that go with it. Apparently, werksan gives a ton of cash and equipment to USWA, so I'm inclined to support them just 'cuz.

Nothing wrong with the bumpers per se, I just dont like the plastic cased bumpers with the super bright ass coloring. The 2nd generation werksan were ribbed and a hard rubber cased bumper. Its really awesome.

In re: squat stands, which ones are super solid? Some that I've worked with scare the shit out of me--they just move and wobble way too much.

You can get the separate stands or you can get them attached like this:

PLATE RACKS AND WEIGHTLIFTING PLATFORMS

Personally, in terms of storage, I like the separate stands, but they wil probably give you that wobbly feeling.

[Frank.S]

a 2.5lbs plate works about 90% as good as a bar jack