Making your own home gym

[Lmg2701]

I'm thinking this is something I would like to do one day. Just think of how great it would be to simply walk into your garage (or wherever else you would like to set up your gym) and get your workout in.



So, I have a few questions.


1.) Where is the best place to buy equipment?
2.) What equipment would YOU buy?




Here's what I'm thinking I would purchase:

Smith Machine

Cable Crossover Machine with Attachments:

Bicep Curl
Leg Press
Lat Pulldown
Shoulder Press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Seated Rows


Bench that can go from flat to straight up

Squat Rack

A Few Nice Weight Racks

Dumbells

Weights (with inner holes-I love those.....)

Stairmaster

Bike

Rubber Pads for the ground

Barbells

Different Attachments for machines (cambered bar, ropes, etc...)



What else and what price am I looking at?

[beefcake]

For free weights, these are the companies I think that are best.

https://www.bwproducts.com/catalog/

http://www.hexplus.net/index.asp?Pag...S&Category=136


For my gym, I am going to get the free weights and handles to build dumbbells. An olympic bar weight set, and ajustable bench and a power rack. Everything you need besides the leg stuff.

[Timber]

I have had home gyms for years. I think the 1st thing to consider is the space you have to work in. If you put to much crap in it you will have no place to workout. My 1st recommendation would be Power blocks instead of dumbbells. They are pricy but in the end you’ll spend more money on dumbbells and the space you save is worth every penny.
A power rack is a must for obvious reasons. I would do 1 basic adjustable flat bench with no attachments. You will use it for everything. Next I would look into a good universal with a duel wt. stack with steal wts. That will give you a 400 pound capacity. Look into something that is configured to the exercises you enjoy doing and will work into your space. Your cardio equipment is a personal choice; it’s what ever you like to do. A lot of places include a free bike of your choice with a universal or if you spend so much.
I like Body Solid equipment personally for home equipment. It is well made and you can add to them, There modular. The only thing is when you order stuff on line especially Gym equipment its very heavy and freight truckers don’t want to touch anything and the only deliver 5 days a week. I would pick it up at the terminal if you have a pickup or request a lift gate delivery. Then of course a good Olympic set or 2 LOL and all your bars and stuff to compliment you basic equipment

[Timber]

This is the universal I have in my home gym

[Timber]

this is a great power rack. I actualy have this 1 in my gym at work. I will eventualy add the cable cross attachment to it. It is a great power Rack
http://www.everythingfitness.com/hg-ms-90.html
I don't think it realy matters were you buy your stuff but depending what state you buy it from the tax situation can change and allways look for the free shipping and any other deals

[Timber]

Hear it is with the cable cross attachment

[Lmg2701]

What about the Cable Crossovers with the attachments I've listed above?

[Timber]

Its right there attached to the power rack. The one I have is built into my smith machine. I don't realy like a smith machine but I have it so I find uses for it

[Lmg2701]

That's not what I'm talking about, I'll have to find a picture.

[Lmg2701]

This is similar to what I'm talking about but with a few different attachments.

[ROCKETW19]

Originally Posted by Lmg2701

I'm thinking this is something I would like to do one day. Just think of how great it would be to simply walk into your garage (or wherever else you would like to set up your gym) and get your workout in.



So, I have a few questions.


1.) Where is the best place to buy equipment?
2.) What equipment would YOU buy?




Here's what I'm thinking I would purchase:

Smith Machine

Cable Crossover Machine with Attachments:

Bicep Curl
Leg Press
Lat Pulldown
Shoulder Press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Seated Rows


Bench that can go from flat to straight up

Squat Rack

A Few Nice Weight Racks

Dumbells

Weights (with inner holes-I love those.....)

Stairmaster

Bike

Rubber Pads for the ground

Barbells

Different Attachments for machines (cambered bar, ropes, etc...)



What else and what price am I looking at?

you will find the best prices on line but shippin will kill ya i found it cheeper to call a equipment shop tell them im gonna spend 20-30k hook me up and they did. what ever i buy is 20% off free delivery and set up. as far as equipment i like cybex and tuff stuff. cybex is pricy but nice and tuff stuff is just as good but cheeper depending on the series you go with. the rubber matt flooring isnt cheep either i think i spent 2k on a 2 car garage IMO it was worth it its very thick and i feel safe if i had to drop a d-bell.

[ROCKETW19]

i dont know how to post links so i bumped the pictures of my gym so you could see what i have.

[Timber]

Yea thats a gym unit, they take up a lot of space, Its a great piece though if you have the room and money

[beefcake]

Originally Posted by Lmg2701

This is similar to what I'm talking about but with a few different attachments.

That's awesome, but I can't imagine what the price is.

[Lmg2701]

Well it's similar to what I want but not exact, as I said, these are the attachments I would want:

Bicep Curl
Leg Press
Lat Pulldown
Shoulder Press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Seated Rows

The one pictured, as you can see, just has the seated rows and lat pull down machine. I'm thinking the whole thing will be a little less than 10K but that's the bulk of what I would plan to buy.

[Timber]

Yea 10 grand will build you a nice gym. One of the other things you have to consider is the wt of the equipment itself. That is a very nice piece but there are 8 wt stacks on that piece in 2 concentrated locations. So you’re going to have about 2000 pounds on each set of stacks in a very concentrated area. For just for the 1 piece of equipment it will have to be mounted on decent slab of concrete. You could never set it up on asphalt or a second story level. There is also ceiling height issues on gym quality equipment. Now don’t get me wrong that is the ultimate in gym equipment if you have a facility to do that. Home gym equipment is designed to fit and be user friendly in the average home and there is much to be said for that. Good planning is the key because as much as you need equipment you also need free floor space to work in.

[daf2]

look for your free weights on ebay. they are usually dirt cheap and if you are close to the shipper you can just pick them up.

[go Yankees]

what about a wooden platform with rubber pads, for cleans and deadlifts? I've always liked those (and never seen them anywhere), not sure how much Olympic lifting you do, though

[Lmg2701]

I would plan on putting this in a big shop area where one day the boat/camper and such will be. I plan on either having a seperate cut off space in the shop with a room built around it and all padded or just sectioning off a piece of the shop and lay down the padded mats.


If you guys ever come to Lafayette Louisiana do yourselves a favor and stop at Red Lerille's Health and Fitness........I would compare it to any health club in the country.

They do have that particular set up in 2 or 3 or the different weight rooms on the 2nd floor (not to mention the first floor but that's way to much to explain).

And they have a section cut off that is all wooden floors with rubber weights and different pads and such for olympic style lifting. This place is a bodybuilders dream.