Recommendations for a Cage and Bench?

Training Powerlifting
1

I am moving into a new place soon, and I have a large garage that I will be able to use for training. I am trying to decide on a cage and bench. I would love to buy an EFS Collegiate rack, but that is a bit too pricey at this point.

I am looking at these cages right now:

Does anyone use either of these? Any comments? How much weight can they handle? Good dip attachment available?

I haven’t looked too much at benches, but one I have seen thrown around is this Apex bench:

The manufacturer says it is only good for 300 lbs, which is obviously a problem. Does anyone have a suggestion for a bench that won’t break the bank?

Also, I might as well post my list of things to get:

Olympic Bar (for Oly lifts): Pendlay Bearing, or see if I can get one from my coach’s coach (used Eleiko bar)
Bumpers
Iron plates
Platform (will build one myself)
Cage
Bench
DB handles
Dip attachment for cage/something else that will allow me to do dips
Another bar for squatting and benching

Stuff like bands, chains, Farmer’s handles and a sled are secondary (and tertiary) right now, but I would like to get them sooner than later.

Obviously the Oly bar is the big expense in this list, but the good ones have lifetime warranties and it is something that I hope to be using for a long, long time.

So, any suggestions?

2

Not bad prices, I’ve been looking around too and thought I would end up spending more but ever thought to look on amazon. No clue on brands but both of the racks look decent. I was thinking about getting the cheapest rack possible that does what I need but spending more on weights/bar since rack can always be upgraded if I really needed. Good weights/bar will last forever but a rack/bench could have minor annoyances so it is kind of hard to balance price vs quality on your first purchase.

Both your racks have small spacing between safety bar levels which is good for home gym when you have no spotter, mainly on bench. I like the racks at my commercial gyms but they have much larger gaps otherwise I would go for them.

3

The problem with most racks is the side rails are on the ground. If you want to squat very wide or deadlift sumo in them, then they aren’t wide enough. A good rack has the side rails off the ground so you can get wider.

4

Width shouldn’t be a problem for squatting, and if I get back to sumo deads, I can do it from my platform, which I would like to construct with the potential to be able to add bands. Thank you for pointing that out though.

5

Advice: If you buy cheap, you’ll buy twice!- if your lucky…

Here’s what happened to me. I had a Weider bench that came with this squat rack sort of thing that I used when I started out years ago. It had a 450ish weight rating. I’m 230 so that leaves me with 220# for bar weight which is certainly not impressive by any means. Anyways so I’m doing some heavy board presses and BAM! the little pin that holds the bench at the angle or flat in this case sheared off and into a decline position I went. THANK GOD FOR SPOT PINS.

I’m in the same boat most of the time. Wanting to buy something but the cost is high. You’ll have to weigh the cost of buying something that will hold up for you vs joining a gym…

That EFS collegiate rack is badd ass but a bit overkill IMO. I have the 2x2 by them and have beat the shit out of it and it takes all I can give it. I’ve had upwards of 700# on it with no problems what so ever. Good luck

6

I have a garage gym. You HAVE TO get an Elite rack. If the price is too much, save your money until you can get it. Before I had my garage, I worked out at every gym imaginable and used pretty much every kind of rack. They all sucked compared to the one I got from Elite. Yea its more expensive but, guess what… you get what you pay for.

Get this:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=681

And add a bench for 300 bucks. This is exactly what I have and it is more than enough. There has been 500lbs+ and 280lb lifters on numerous occasions on the bench and 800+lbs on the j hooks in the squat rack over the past year and everything still looks and feels new.

If you dont half ass your training, why the hell would you half ass your equipment?

If you need some advice on how to build the gym pretty cheap let me know.

7

[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
I have a garage gym. You HAVE TO get an Elite rack. If the price is too much, save your money until you can get it. Before I had my garage, I worked out at every gym imaginable and used pretty much every kind of rack. They all sucked compared to the one I got from Elite. Yea its more expensive but, guess what… you get what you pay for.

Get this:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=681

And add a bench for 300 bucks. This is exactly what I have and it is more than enough. There has been 500lbs+ and 280lb lifters on numerous occasions on the bench and 800+lbs on the j hooks in the squat rack over the past year and everything still looks and feels new.

If you dont half ass your training, why the hell would you half ass your equipment?

If you need some advice on how to build the gym pretty cheap let me know. [/quote]

I am constructing a storage building on my property that will be big enough that I will have enough space for a gym (I think). The space will be 13’x 18’. With a cage, adjustable bench, bands, chains I should be able to do everything that matters. DBs would be nice for unilateral stuff but I can live without them for quite some time (maybe forever).

What thoughts do you have on building the gym?

8

[quote]giterdone wrote:

[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
I have a garage gym. You HAVE TO get an Elite rack. If the price is too much, save your money until you can get it. Before I had my garage, I worked out at every gym imaginable and used pretty much every kind of rack. They all sucked compared to the one I got from Elite. Yea its more expensive but, guess what… you get what you pay for.

Get this:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=681

And add a bench for 300 bucks. This is exactly what I have and it is more than enough. There has been 500lbs+ and 280lb lifters on numerous occasions on the bench and 800+lbs on the j hooks in the squat rack over the past year and everything still looks and feels new.

If you dont half ass your training, why the hell would you half ass your equipment?

If you need some advice on how to build the gym pretty cheap let me know. [/quote]

I am constructing a storage building on my property that will be big enough that I will have enough space for a gym (I think). The space will be 13’x 18’. With a cage, adjustable bench, bands, chains I should be able to do everything that matters. DBs would be nice for unilateral stuff but I can live without them for quite some time (maybe forever).

What thoughts do you have on building the gym?
[/quote]

If you have all that stuff you are good to go. For db’s: by an extra set of 25’s, 10’s, 5’s, and 2.5’s and by some 40 dollar db handles. Saves a ton of space, and, more importantly, a shit load of money.

Thats plenty of room, I only have 12x12 to work with and I have a rack, about 10 different bars, 2 weight tree’s with over 1500lbs, a CSR/45 degree GHR, every band imaginable, 200+lbs of chain, and a freezer with about 200lbs of dead animals in it.

If you want some cheap flooring, go to a tractor supply or southern states and get horse stall mats. they are 4x6, twice as thick as gym flooring, and only cost about 40 bucks a mat.

I got a great deal on weights from Texas Strength Systems. But, most of my weights were 15 cents a pound from a gym that closed down the street. Definitely ebay or craigslist the weights. That can be the most expensive part if you arent patient.

9

[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:

[quote]giterdone wrote:

[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
I have a garage gym. You HAVE TO get an Elite rack. If the price is too much, save your money until you can get it. Before I had my garage, I worked out at every gym imaginable and used pretty much every kind of rack. They all sucked compared to the one I got from Elite. Yea its more expensive but, guess what… you get what you pay for.

Get this:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=681

And add a bench for 300 bucks. This is exactly what I have and it is more than enough. There has been 500lbs+ and 280lb lifters on numerous occasions on the bench and 800+lbs on the j hooks in the squat rack over the past year and everything still looks and feels new.

If you dont half ass your training, why the hell would you half ass your equipment?

If you need some advice on how to build the gym pretty cheap let me know. [/quote]

I am constructing a storage building on my property that will be big enough that I will have enough space for a gym (I think). The space will be 13’x 18’. With a cage, adjustable bench, bands, chains I should be able to do everything that matters. DBs would be nice for unilateral stuff but I can live without them for quite some time (maybe forever).

What thoughts do you have on building the gym?
[/quote]

If you have all that stuff you are good to go. For db’s: by an extra set of 25’s, 10’s, 5’s, and 2.5’s and by some 40 dollar db handles. Saves a ton of space, and, more importantly, a shit load of money.

Thats plenty of room, I only have 12x12 to work with and I have a rack, about 10 different bars, 2 weight tree’s with over 1500lbs, a CSR/45 degree GHR, every band imaginable, 200+lbs of chain, and a freezer with about 200lbs of dead animals in it.

If you want some cheap flooring, go to a tractor supply or southern states and get horse stall mats. they are 4x6, twice as thick as gym flooring, and only cost about 40 bucks a mat.

I got a great deal on weights from Texas Strength Systems. But, most of my weights were 15 cents a pound from a gym that closed down the street. Definitely ebay or craigslist the weights. That can be the most expensive part if you arent patient.[/quote]

Shit, if you have all that in 12’ x 12’ then my space will be cavernous in comparison, lol. I do need to be patient with the weights, bars etc. as I am starting from scratch and don’t want to drop a ton of cash. I like the horse stall mat idea.

Thanks

10

Buy stuff like a Texas power bar, really high quality stuff. It might be an extra $100 for a good bar, but it will last and wont bend easily. Then you can get stuff like speciality bars and such as you go along. It might be a bit more saving, but you will only buy once.

Plus EFS has a massive sale on at the moment.

11

[quote]sidewalkdances wrote:
Buy stuff like a Texas power bar, really high quality stuff. It might be an extra $100 for a good bar, but it will last and wont bend easily. Then you can get stuff like speciality bars and such as you go along. It might be a bit more saving, but you will only buy once.

Plus EFS has a massive sale on at the moment.[/quote]

Yea, their sales recently have been ridiculous. I have wanted a fat bar and a bench log for a while and I have been saving up to get both of them. That equipment sale a week and half ago was awesome. I got both, including shipping for under $700.

I agree with the texas power bar. That is the foundation for everything else in your training. You dont even need a rack if you really think about it. I have elites texas power bar and I love it. I have another power bar that I stole from work that has zero flex and its thick as shit. I looked it up, the one from work costs about 250. Spend the extra hundred and get a good one.