When you get a chance, purchase the lat/row attachment for your power rack. It was one of the best things I did, and I highly recommend it.
Also, if it’s not too late, take your “super bench” back and get a real “Super Bench” from Ironmaster (www.ironmaster.com). I recommend this bench over many others because it’s extremely sturdy and very nice. I also have many of the attachments for it and recommend them as well. Check it out!
Also, I have a Keys Olympic Barbell set and also purchased a Texas Power Bar. The Texas Power Bar is thinner than my standard Keys (brand) Olympic bar.
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
When you get a chance, purchase the lat/row attachment for your power rack. It was one of the best things I did, and I highly recommend it.
Also, if it’s not too late, take your “super bench” back and get a real “Super Bench” from Ironmaster (www.ironmaster.com). I recommend this bench over many others because it’s extremely sturdy and very nice. I also have many of the attachments for it and recommend them as well. Check it out![/quote]
And yes, I highly recommend the Ironmaster adjustable dumbbells. They are freaking awesome!
I purchased one of their packages that came with the dumbbells, dumbbell rack, Super Bench, Dip attachment, sit-up attachment, leg ext/leg curl attachment and preacher curl attachment. The only thing I didn’t get was the chin bar since I have one on my power rack and an additional doorway chin bar with various grips.
And I purchased the add-on kit for the dumbbells so I can go up to 120lbs each.
And the Ironmaster dumbbells website is in my favorites, waiting for me to get enough money to get them.
And here’s the next one. I tried to make it all pretty, hanging my belts, weight releasers and bands on it.
Work in progress.
Unfortunately I still can’t use it as much as I’d like due to my back problem. It’s getting better though, but I still can’t do a pullup or chinup (and I have no idea why that hurts more than anything else).
I like adjustable olympic dumbbell handles. You can buy a set for $20, and as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better. Yes, it does take a little work to switch all the plates, but they’re cheap and you can customize the weight in tiny increments. I have a pair in my home gym, and I’m extremely happy with them.
Also, if you’re going to be in this house a while, consider building a platform for your rack. All you need are 4’X8’ pieces of plywood and the horse matting. Total thing will cost $75 if you can find the mats at a decent price. You can drop most anything on that setup and see little ill effect (i.e. 275 from clean catch height).
Looks like the beginnings of an awesome set up. Consider me jealous.
I think standard 1" adjustable dumbbell handles are he way to go, cheap as chips like!!
how much did you pay so far?
Here’s another pic. This was cropped out of the other pictures because I was trying to get a closer shot of the power rack.
I have these cheap adjustable dumbbells and an EZ curl bar along with around 200lbs, all from Walmart.
I’ve had these (and a cheap decline/flat bench) for a while, so I don’t remember how much they cost.
Everything else (power rack, bench, 300lb weight set and 90 more pounds of weight) cost $978.
Here’s the breakdown from my email:
Super Bench-white $159.00
SUPER POWER RACK-WHITE $399.00
(2) 45 lb. MACHINED OLYMPIC PLATE-BLACK $20.25
300 lb. Black Olympic set with Special plates $129.95
=========================
Product Total: $728.45
Shipping: $250.00
Grand Total: $978.45
[quote]srb68 wrote:
Also, if you’re going to be in this house a while, consider building a platform for your rack. All you need are 4’X8’ pieces of plywood and the horse matting. Total thing will cost $75 if you can find the mats at a decent price. You can drop most anything on that setup and see little ill effect (i.e. 275 from clean catch height).[/quote]
I have this website in my favorites from when I was searching how to build one:
www.crossfit.com/discus/messages/26/6152.html
A guy has a picture of it a few posts down with a description, and there’s another diagram that looks like it’s made of all plywood and rubber matting below it.
Dude. I was thinking about getting this exact setup, except with the box squat box they have.
Is the rack real flimsy, or does it actually hold together well?
The best palce to get weights are at used sporting goods placed, like play it again sports. they are about half the price as new ones and do the same thing.
[quote]LUEshi wrote:
Dude. I was thinking about getting this exact setup, except with the box squat box they have.
Is the rack real flimsy, or does it actually hold together well? [/quote]
It hold together very well. I was very pleased with it as soon as I put it together, and dropped some weight on it (just to see how it held up).
It seems, to me, to be of better quality than what the powerhouse gym had back in NY. Even the pins look thicker, and fit into the holes better.
I didn’t see that box squat box. I’ll have to check it out because I am definitely looking to either get or make one.
[quote]reko34 wrote:
The best palce to get weights are at used sporting goods placed, like play it again sports. they are about half the price as new ones and do the same thing. [/quote]
Yea, go figure that I find a play-it-again sports very close to our new house, and I could have saved a ton by not spending so much for shipping.
The rest of my weights that I’ll get will probably be from there.
I’m still happy that I went with NY Barbell for the power rack. I think elitefts would be just about the only other place that would have a better quality rack.
A cheap alternative to a squat box are cinder blocks. They are like $.75 a piece, and are sturdy enough for touch and go upright and a more lengthy stay when stacked longwise.
These TDS power racks hold up pretty well. I have the model C92563W rack and have loaded over 800 lbs on the J-hooks and safety pins with no problem.
Building a home gym was one of the best investments I have ever made. I have a power rack, bench, pullup and dip bars, about 500lbs in Olympic weights as well as 2 Olympic bars and 2 thick handled olympic bars, a full dumbell set, I also have a set of kettlebells.
Before I moved to FL I had a gym in my basement with these things as well as some hammer strength machines and a cybex leg press. Its definitely worth it to be able to circuit through exercises and do things that are frowned upon at commercial gyms.
Don’t forget craigslist.org. You can always find people selling some good stuff on there. You might have to pick it up but the price usually can’t be beat.
[quote]Arioch wrote:
Don’t forget craigslist.org. You can always find people selling some good stuff on there. You might have to pick it up but the price usually can’t be beat.[/quote]
I saw somone selling about a bar plus abbout 550lbs of weight (including 10 45’s) and a combo bench/squat rack for $300 on it yesterday.
Shame I live in Ireland!!
Yea, craigslist is definitely in my favorites too. I’ve been checking every so often, but can’t find anything worth going and picking up yet.
There are a few Weider benches and weights, but they seem to be asking for a lot, and I don’t have the room. I’m sticking with Olympic sized weights from here on out.
I don’t have a problem with buying different brands of weights though, as long as they fit on an Olympic bar.
Which reminds me, I also plan on getting at least 1 or 2 more bars like was recommended earlier in this thread.
I’m going to keep checking craigslist. You never know when something good might pop up.
