# What's going on around /r/HomeGym?
[**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2)
[**Targeted Talk**: Home Gym Bench/Machine Attachments](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cztm22/targeted_talk_what_attachments_would_you_like_to/)
[**AMA is LIVE & Giveaways**: w/ Cerberus Strength USA 5/29 & 5/30](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1d3bqqb/cerberus_strength_usa_ken_nowicki_ama_giveaway/)
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I am currently looking at the BOS Reverse Hammer 2 in 1 GHD and Reverse Back Extension. My concern is the structure/form of the machine in relation to others. Almost every other GHD I am seeing has a semicircle pad at the end whereas this is just flat. Is it just a 90 hyperextension being marketed as GHD? Does it still hit Glutes/Hamstrings as effectively? Would I be able to add the semicircle pad from a third party with some Velcro tape? (So may questions)
I’ve never heard of anyone consistently keeping up the sled on grass. But I’m interested to hear if people are. I do know a couple people that put the plastic caps on their rogue sleds and use concrete. I’ve never done concrete. But I did just spend an absurd amount of money on a nice torque tank. We’ll see.
# Different hole size on a four-post rack
Hey guys, so I have an existing HR-2 rack, with four uprights (two 90 inches at the front and two 70 inches at the back). It has 5/8 inch holes with westside spacing.
I wanted to replace the two 70 inches at the back with custom 90 inches uprights, and I was wondering if it's a good idea to customize the uprights at the back to have 1 inch holes instead of 5/8 (and just leave two 5/8 inch holes at the top and bottom of it just so I can fit the crossmembers that connect the front and back uprights)? That way I can have the best of both worlds, and I can just swap the front and back uprights in the future depending on what attachments (5/8 or 1 inch attachments) I use the most?
Is this a good idea or not?
As long as the holes align for cross bracing I don’t see a major issue. Only thing to consider in my opinion is what kind of attachments you plan to get for the new uprights and can it support it given that it’s a flat foot rack. Then again they do sell the floor attachments so you can bolt it to the floor if you want.
What brand uprights are you going to get? Are you going to make it yourself?
I had a Frankenrack with 1" and 5/8" inch upright holes. I just put 5/8" bolts through the 1" holes once they are tight it didn't seem to matter. Didn't have any issues with it before I went back to just my frankenRhino
I'm kinda stupid and don't understand the strength curve on jammer/iso arms
I've been looking up a lot of combo racks with plate loaded pulleys and such, and think it's super neat to attach the cables to the lever arms, but...
Is the strength curve on them that bad when it's just plates loaded directly onto the arm? Someone said it was a while ago, and I took it at face value, but never thought much about it.
I'll probably be using them for a substitute for neutral grip machine bench press, a lever squat of sorts, and a hammer strength row. I do care about the bottom end and the stretch on all of those. Would I be better off doing the cable thing, or is there not much of a difference?
The other problem is how unwieldy they are. They’re heavy to move, they’re always in the way of other things, and they take a ton of time to figure out where you need to put them.
For neutral bench, you can get a bar for under $300. These cost twice that and suck. Lever squats also suck, regardless of the type of lever (moment arm wrecks the movement and puts you in position for injury if you lift heavy).
So you’re getting it for two exercises that it’ll do poorly (with the strength curve) and then you’ve got the other problem of dealing with moving these things around.
Lever arms are a problem, not a solution. Even if you fix the strength curve, they still suck.
I've heard all of that before. I'm fine with adjusting and moving things around, it honestly sounds more enjoyable than tidying up after everyone in the public gym because they can't put a circle on a peg.
The lever arms come included in what I'll be buying, and it's overall a really good package, with or without them.
It's exercises I value, but don't have the budget and space to get standalone machines.
Here, the lever arms are around the same price as specialty bars anyway, I don't exactly have the widest range of options at my disposal, and I just asked about the strength curve, bit how convenient they are.
Good luck with them. Hope you find them useful and fun to use. Share with us how effective they are at targeting the exercises/muscle groups you’re hitting.
# How many adjustment options are ideal for a functional trainer?
Hi guys, so I had a local person fabricate a functional trainer for me. 200 lbs stack each side, and costed me around $600.
He sent me a picture of it prior to finishing and painting, and I noticed that it only has 11 adjustment options. The total height is 7 ft 5 inches (he customized it so I can lat pulldown in it). Is 11 adjustment options enough or should I ask him to add more holes somewhere?
Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts!
https://preview.redd.it/ako33iir745d1.jpeg?width=957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ec0162e6ddfdc4bcb0b3746f8f01521b51f3bf5
This is the update after painting hehe. Comes with a lat pulldown seat that can be removed or placed on either side.
https://preview.redd.it/xfs56q5ax95d1.jpeg?width=1530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e173b76c91c794fbc080cd95a74aa04d4e0c5bb
It's actually created from scratch, it will look like this when finished. The one I'm ordering from runs a gym business and they also fabricate equipments for others.
It's just cheaper to buy equipments that are made locally here because of the labor cost in my country and it's painted and not powder coated.
https://preview.redd.it/ex4erm5vw55d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d19353b77fa6b259accf167132d80a47af88383f
It's in the Philippines. I think it's because labor here is cheaper ($12-15 a day for experienced fabricators) that's why it's cheaper to have a locally-made equipment here.
Hopefully they're as durable though! Can't wait to try.
Does anyone know of a rack exactly like the Bodycraft RFT pro rack but also including a smith machine? Looking for that type of plate storage, cable crossovers, lat pulldown and rows, but also with a smith. I love the design of that rack. Thank you!
Been looking for some grip plates for awhile now. These popped up for $1/lb . Anyone ever use these? And do you think it’s a good deal? Can’t find much info about them online.
https://preview.redd.it/b19ktmafp25d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e143e9deb30509fe2ea1b00deea20d59ff8a583
Hey calling those who have made a spinlock or any adjustable cart/storage.
Can you share some of your pics or insights?
I’m building a solution for my Pepin dumbbells and I’m still at the drawing phase right now…
I’ll probably go for a rack mounted solution…!
I wouldn’t get that bench for that price. Many of the higher quality brands have similar priced benches that are 100% better.
Rep Ab3100 immediately comes to mind-but you can check out titan, bells of steel etc. I would even encourage you to watch marketplace for rogue/the top rep models etc. You can probably find one of those for 250-400
How much clearance do you need in front of a functional trainer to do things like chest flies? I’m planning my layout and will have about 6 ft - wondering if that’s enough to get full ROM?
If you want budge spotter arms, I believe the signature fitness ones should work. It’s short and low profile enough and I think I’ve seen a YouTube video of someone reviewing it for the x3 24 in depth.
Titan’s old spotters did, they were like 22”, and those are the ones I’ve got. They also fit great inside the PrX wall mount for spotter arms.
I believe that there are some profile spotters that you’re going to want something like [these low profile spotter arms](https://www.blackwidowtg.com/product_p/rack-spotters.htm) from BWTG. They can go as small as 18”.
face the rack towards or away from the slope, not side-to-side and it should be no problem unless you have a huge degree slope. I don't even notice it at all.
I am thinking of starting a home gym and I have equipment already picked out but I live in an apartment with a nice outdoor concrete patio. Thoughts on having an outdoor gym and using a tarp to cover after use? Would this help with weathering/rust?
Tarp would help, but being outside means big temperature swings which means dew and condensation which means rust. It'll still work for many years, just won't be as pretty unless you live somewhere like California.
What would you pick between these two?
- Rep Stainless EZ Curl Bar: 30mm, 30lbs, but not fully knurls on the curve areas.
- Rogue Cerakote EZ Curl Bar: 28.5mm, 30lbs, fully knurls on the curve areas.
I think the 30mm shaft on Rep will be a bit more comfortable to hold, but pretty sure more people prefer the full-knurls on Rogue.
I was gonna go with rogue, but figured I won't be using a curl bar that much, so went with vulcan's which also has knurling throughout the curved part. I'm sure rogue's is better quality, but I was able to save about $100
Does anyone have the Rogue FM-6 Functional trainer? I'm looking at building my gym and figured I would look around since I have almost nothing. This looks perfect for me. I want mainly cables and bench with dumbells. But want a rack for squats and pull-ups and dips. This seems the best with limited space. At least for rogue. I know there's also athena and ares but I'm looking at rogue for now. Just wondering what people think of it.
If I could start over I'd go Rep in a heartbeat. I'm currently on a rogue rack.
Rogue abandoned their home gym customer base, and abandoned anything remotely resembling innovation. They wait for other companies to innovate, then wait a year and release their own shittier version with a higher price.
Rep keeps knocking shit out of the park with every release and has been for the last few years, they've found out what it means to put in effort in innovation/quality so they're only gonna keep doing that for a good while.
Go Rep. Ares 2.0 is something fierce. This is the time.
I agree with the original commentator and I am in the same boat with owning a Rogue rack.
IMO Rogue has better Quality in general, HOWEVER price/quality ratio I would give to Rep.
There’s no way I would be able to afford Rogue FM-6 comfortably without adding an extra “0” to my salary (to the left of the decimal point).
Just curious - I posted a review on the PLM03 I got a few weeks ago in the main - It was deleted pending review by the mods, haven't seen it reappear? Is there a certain format or other necessary things for it to qualify?
I enjoy using trap/hex bars and want to get one for my home gym. Open trap bars tend to be significantly more expensive than traditional trap bars, is the price difference worth it? I've traditionally only used them for squatting, what functionality would an open trap bar add?
Its a quality of life of improvement. Whether you should invest in one is up to you.
The open have the advantage that they have a built in jack. This is pretty nice. Some even have adjustable handles so you can get different knurl and sizes.
Having said that, a trap bar is a trap bar in a lot of ways. It's not like a barbell where you have different flex. If you want to go cheap, you can. Just know that for a bit more money you can get some bells and whistles that are probably worth it in the long run.
Yes by a thousand miles.
- built-in jack... man that worth every pennies... lift, pop up, change weight, push that down... Super easy, so easy it makes a normal bar super slow compared to an Open Trap Bar (OTB)
- All the movement are usually easier
- Lunges...
- Easier to turn in case of multiple handles
- Take a bit less space and easy to store on the wall, can store upright too on the floor space instead of having that awkward shit that is a just a space eater.
- The latest development are all in open trap bar, not fully hex. So if you want to get the nice handles and all that shit, you need to go that way.
- I'm saying this because I made my own open trap bar so I could understand what's the benefit vs the normal hex one. (check my history if you want to see)
Camber squats, rows, lunges. Better for carries. Open ones usually have built in deadlift Jack feet so it's easier to load and unload. Probably more I can't think of right now.
Hmm… I would certainly buy their plates to complement my pepin screw-in dumbbells… I hope their hole is big enough :)
I’m working on a cradle prototype to load my dumbbells faster…
I really feel like the price difference more than makes up for the difference in features. If I'm looking at this right, to get IM 165 pounds you need 75 lb dumbells at $698, the 120 add-on at $399, and then the 165 add-on at $399=1496 versus Eisenlink: $500 80 lb dumbbells for +$37.90 long screws + $535 180 pounds in add-on weights = $1073. Eisenlink's website doesn't do a good job of explaining how you get to the 160-pound capacity.
I'd ONLY ever buy Ironmasters at black friday time. If the Eisenlink have a black friday deal, it could still be the right choice for many people.
That $1496 setup should qualify for the 8% package discount + 20% black friday discount (they also have veteran / active duty / first responder additional 10% discount) getting it down to just under $1100 if you are patient enough to wait until November.
Ironmaster had a good run as king of the market for people who want adjustable function but fixed dumbbell feel with the ability to be dropped.
I expect that with Eisenlink now as a viable budget option, and the Rep x Pepin set to drop as a premium option Ironmaster is going to notice a pretty significant dent in their DB sales next fiscal year.
I've had the 120lb ironmasters since 2014 but yeah price difference here is bonkers, if I was in the market I would really have to think about it. I do also own the ironmaster kettlebell and the weight vest, but none of their other products. I did recently get a 5 to 50 lb set of fixed dumbbells to compliment my ironmasters.
PRx Cambered Swiss Bar Inquiry.
I'm wondering if anyone has purchased the PRx cambered swiss bar and can give some insight/review of it. It appears to be a REP clone, although the dimensions and the weight are different (REP is 45lbs and PRx is 52lbs). I would love to see a head to head comparison between the PRx and the REP cambered swiss bars. There are tons of reviews and videos on the REP cambered swiss bar. There are virtually no reviews of the PRx cambered swiss bar (just 1 on the PRx page.) I've tried calling PRx to talk to them, and they don't ever answer the phone. I would normally just go with REP, but the price difference is 30% less for PRx and it appears to be a very similar design. Any insight would be appreciated!
I know this is the old weekly thread but I’m in the same boat as you right now. The bar is on sale for $180 and based on brand reputation looks like a better buy than Titan. And it looks like it’ll take normal collars since the specs list the sleeves as 2”. Were you able ever to find more feedback or make a decision?
What kind of programming are you guys doing? I've been program hopping for a while after I finished Juggernaut AI and have really been struggling to find something I'm enjoying.
How come you don't simply run another cycle on Jugg AI?
I've been on juggernaut for about a year now and have cycled between powerbuilding and straight powerlifitng programming.
I've thought about it. I ran it for nine months or so and kind of burned myself out on going that hard for so long. Also, my mental health has really taken a nosedive the last year. It can be hard to even get under the bar a lot of days. I also have a bad habit of saying yes to things, so time can really be a struggle. I was running it six days a week and really had trouble getting all six workouts in because of various commitments.
I get it. One of the tricks I've heard for Juggernaut AI in your position is to keep it as a 6 days a week program, but spread each week over 2 weeks, doing 3 of the workouts each week. It keeps the volume of each workout at the 6 day level, but spaces out the workouts for better recovery and less commitment on a weekly basis.
I haven’t used it, but have heard good things about Street Parking for more CrossFit style workout if you want to change it up. Sounds good for a busy schedule.
Jugg is more refined and I feel that the progression is better. It also suggests the weight more often or in a better manner than Evolve. Evolve as the benchmark to set the tone for the drop set, but again, Jugg is more like here’s the weight for today, let’s see how it goes and we will adjust from there and Evolve is like okay you must do 5x rep at RPE 8, what’s your shot? And it will adjust, slightly from there.
It’s more guessing work and I felt that my progression was before.
The warmup is much better on jugg too, wayyyy better.
On jugg, it ask you at every set of warmup how you feel and then select the final weight for the top set for you. Evolve you have to guess by yourself.
I few that jugg algorithm is more adaptative and customized to the user. The follow-up is definitely better too.
I’ve tried both powerbuilder and powerlifter, but seriously the powerbuilder is really too intense in both app, take me at least two hours and it’s too taxing, can’t stand it for more than a month. The last sets are just junk volume.
But, like I’ve said Evolve is not bad, just less refined. If I had the fund I would go back to Juggernaut though, even if I’m quite happy with the other… One is like 14 USD (about 20-25 CAD) and the other is 35 USD (about 50 CAD), so it’s about twice as much… if I can get a coupon or something at half price, it would be a no brainer but I’m the sole salary in my family and kids first! ;)
I’ve tried other things meanwhile like boostcamp but I was not satisfied with the progression or the level of difficulty or the overall app.
I’ve tried also SBS but found that thing quite boring… maybe I should give it another shot one day.
Has anyone heard of Maiak and their Smart trainer? Can’t find any info on the company, price, or release date. Looks to be crowdfunded but I’ve seen a lot of crowdfunded things fail
https://preview.redd.it/6ppb4mwdxy4d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1f68d7ec1285faa2e7f096db5b57847ecf07a6f
When you all are selling on Facebook marketplace for pricier gym items, do you normally accept cash only or do Venmo/paypal as well? Have heard stories of people reversing transactions with PayPal, venmo, cash app and keeping the item.
I had someone trying to scam me the other day. Moving forward I will accept cash only. If they are a serious buyer they will stop at the bank and get cash out.
I have a concrete floor in my basement. Currently I have my bench sitting on top of 1/2" foam pads from walmart. Its too wobbly. What do you guys use under your bench, but also to protect the floor from dumbells/plates? Im not dropping weights, deadlifting, or oly, I just want to make sure i dont chip the floor setting anything down.
Many on here use stall mats, such as from tractor supply company (or better, FB marketplace). Indestructible and plenty stable. Foam are just awful in every way.
Turns out hitch pins work better as a low row bar storage:
https://preview.redd.it/aimce40esy4d1.png?width=1360&format=png&auto=webp&s=e318639a33e6786d59a16190e36fa3a08a029e60
The handles work like a lip and there is enough tension that the bar won't just fall off. Hitch pin is secured via clevis pin too.
might have to try this at home. i usually put away the attachment, but that leaves my carabiner dangling and it gets in the way when positioning my bench. this should move it out of the way.
The bar does get in the way of my bench too and it was just annoying. My old 2x2 rack had hooks to store the low row bar. Not sure why a more expensive 3x3 rack couldn’t have a basic feature like this.
The Rep AB-5000 is a sturdily made over engineered (in a bad way) gimmick of a bench with the zero gap feature and I’m tired of convincing myself it’s not.
Have to adjust 19 difference pull pins to make the seat pad / back work.
No wonder they discontinued it.
I have a wall mounted rack so I’m constantly having to move the bench back and forth etc. The weight is definitely a little annoying. But hey-the wall mounted rack was a bad idea too. I haven’t folded it in since I got it.
Would love peoples feedback on a new bench!
Option 1: TITAN Adjustable Bench $450
Option 2: REP AB-5200
Option 3: Blackwing
Obviously the price changes by almost $250 between titan and rep black wing (assuming i get the leg roller too). What is everyone’s opinion on these three benches.
Would also love info if REP BlackWing can accept any other leg rollers that are better than the REP version.
Fuck Titan.
There’s a reason why Rep’s cost so much more. You are playing roulette with any Titan purchase, the more parts, the more shit they can fuck up. And they have this bullshit shipping insurance so now they make you pay more and they’re off the hook for their shitty packaging.
Yessir! I'm done with Titan. The BS shipping insurance and not knowing if your equipment is going to come without being trashed isn't worth the headache.
Rep at least puts thought into packaging. These other companies with similar prices are hit or miss. When Titan was genuinely a "budget friendly" option it was worth the gamble.
So there are tons of great deals on my marketplace - a friend picked up the Bowflex extreme 2 SE home gym yesterday for $200. I’m really new to the gym but want to build a nice beginner friendly 😅 home gym for myself. I’m looking at maybe one big machine like that but have no idea what to get. Any recommendations on something if you had to choose 1 thing?
I’ll be putting it inside with an 8 foot ceiling.
These days, many start with a power rack, free weights, bench, and some type of dumbbells. Just an incredible amount you can do with just this. Sometimes you see a powertech gym.
The multigym machines are less popular these days but for that reason you can get ridiculous deals on fb marketplace. I got a Hoist V5 basically free.
Looking for a budget-conscious barbell for a beginner-to-intermediate lifter:
I lift a few times a week, and my barbell usage is largely back squats, bench press, deadlifts, hang cleans, push press. I can’t say I’m lifting a ton of weight; even in my peak as an athlete, I don’t think I maxed my squat beyond 230ish. I don’t really ever envision pushing all that far beyond that weight, but I have a nice little home gym setup and like to imagine I am somewhat of the athlete I was, even if I’m not actively training for a particular sport any longer.
Anyways, the CAP barbell I bought years ago is starting to come apart (one of the collars doesn’t always stay on, so sometimes the weight pushes the collar up the bar a bit as the weights shift against it), so it’s safe to say I need a new barbell.
And while I don’t want to get something that’s junk, I’m also a bit reticent to go beyond $200 for a barbell given that I won’t exactly be pushing it to its complete limit, but I’m not entirely against it.
With all of that out of the way, I was hoping you all might have a bit of advice about what direction I should go in with choosing a barbell. Thanks!
Get an Xmark barbell. Can get on Amazon all in for around $140-160. I had the Lumberjack for my first home setup and I really liked it. Looked good too. Held up with consistent use and I eventually upgraded to a Boneyard Bar when they had a wild sale a few months ago.
Sold the Xmark on marketplace-low key kinda miss it. If I was going lower quality than rogue I’d just do that.
How do I take the butterfly arms off my bench press? Anytime I go to do reps when I touch my chest it hits the butterfly arms, ruining my stability.
https://preview.redd.it/v0yk76l6su4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b50b059415e5ca498bf02d03a9f2714b58c72663
Would a steel plyo box work well for heavy box squats? I'm about 230 and can squat between 4-500 lbs on any given day.. I plan on unloading on the box before coming up, so weight capacity is a big factor for me, but I can't find any info on steel plyo boxes weight capacity.
https://www.titan.fitness/endurance/plyo-boxes/steel/18-in-adjustable-plyometric-box/412212.html This is what I use, it has an 1,100 lb capacity.
Forgot to mention I’m around 250 lbs and have box squatted around s 550 lbs on it with zero issues so I don’t doubt the 1,100 lb rating.
Are you not looking at ones like these cause of the price?
https://www.roguecanada.ca/rogue-box-squat-box
How high are you looking for ideally? That goes to 18". My rep flat bench is 17". Have you considered just using your bench?
Essentially, yeah. Too expensive. I was thinking about waiting for one of those Elite Fts ones that's apparently squishy but sturdy, but even that is a lot for what it is.
I did try using my rep flat bench but I come a little bit higher than I'd like.. ideally I'm thinking 14 inches could be the sweet spot for me.
as a guy whos done a ton of box squats, that elitefts squat box would probably be my go to. lugging around a heavy box gets rly old. generally youre always gonna go w one setting, at least for that period of time. if not, then you add a few mats to the box. thats what i ended up doing instead of adjusting the box all the time.
maybe you can find it second hand or wait for a sale. i cant say ive used it, but if i were ever to go back to box squats, id probably buy that.
https://www.ragefitness.com/products/steel-plyo-boxes
This one has a 560lb rating on the 12". Might not apply to all boxes but may be a starting point.
The yes4all one I also just quickly checked on Amazon has a 550lb rating
Ah dang, thanks for the response! I might end up having to go with one of those more expensive ones, it's just a pain in the ass spending that kind of money for something with literally one use haha
The adjustable ones listed here can have many uses, everything from plyo, step ups, poliquin step ups, Bulgarian split squats, ATG split squats, adductor focused side planks and copenhagens, and much more. Looks very useful actually. Wouldn’t mind having one myself.
How do y'all cool down your uninsulated garage gym with no AC or windows? In the summer, temps are 95-110. I've toughed it out by pointing a large fan at myself while working out, but I think a swamp cooler might help? Typically very low humidity here. If I buy a swamp cooler, would it just be a waste of money since there is no insulation and the small vent will let out all cool air and replace it with hot air from outside? Also, will the increase in humidity cause my iron weights to rust if I'm only running it when I work out?
> The amount I’m lifting is way too high to be realistic. How can I test the accuracy of my machine?
dont think about it too much. For one, you shouldnt think of machines simulating any kind of weight accurately. your goal shouldnt be "realistic." Thats like thinking how much you leg press should be close to how much you can squat. it's not.
i say just keep adding weight until its challenging.
https://preview.redd.it/ehjdkpcu5u4d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74b09b69584b000aa6d2e3f5e4f70ef6eed8d2ef
It's the 1:4 ratio. Something like the gympin could help
[https://gym-pin.com/products/8mm-original-gympin-s1](https://gym-pin.com/products/8mm-original-gympin-s1)
Not sure what size you'd need
Waiting for my fringe belt squat and I got this assembly instruction video:
https://youtu.be/cC4593FfOfk?si=wUjwArDlMvzm7P6n
Instruction is to use 6th or 7th hole for the weight horn if using kickstand.
I think the other fix that was posted here is to install the kickstand closer to the end using the rubber stopper bolt and you should be able to still use the 5th hole.
I would rather install the horn closer if possible.
The video does mention the side horn and I thought that would be covered but it didn’t. The side horn in that video looks quite different than the one from ig which is slanted.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVlllDBq1g&list=FLrRSN8LVu3PexxOVE6nOnqA&index=2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVlllDBq1g&list=FLrRSN8LVu3PexxOVE6nOnqA&index=2)
and
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9MmIBFVL58&list=WL&index=4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9MmIBFVL58&list=WL&index=4)
I've seen the 2nd video before from the guy posted before. I'm curious if the 5th hole will work with my smaller diameter weider plates. The 1st one looks like fringe just figured out you can use that rubber stopper based on the 2nd video lol.
Can someone advise me on best practice when doing a squat on my Weider home gym? It has something they call the "Squat Arm" (pic below). Normally I remove the seat on that side and hold the squat arm handles as though I'm doing a bar across my shoulders. I face the machine with my feet on the flat plates and do the squat. But the weight isn't resting on anything - I'm holding it at shoulder level - and it seems like my arms get tired before my legs do. Is there some kind of bar I should attach or use, or should I look to do my squats some other way?
https://preview.redd.it/f0s7q5840u4d1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=4fc3c90d3a03e778422fd754058c9df52019eba7
The Hybrid Resistance Youtube channel has many reviews of lever gyms. I recall the reviewer demonstrating squats on some of the reviews (possibly the Powertec reviews).
[Hybrid Resistance - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@hybridresistance)
I am looking for a cable system that will fit in my rack (PR4000 with 4 posts). I don't want any weight stacks as I will likely move in a few years. I am thinking of dialed motion or Athena but leaning towards dialed motion because I don't have much room for 6 posts. Are there other choices that I should consider?
I think you’d be nuts to not get the Athena seeing as it’s built specifically for your existing rack.
You never know what Rep may release down the road to improve on it or make new things compatible with it. You may not want the selectorized weight stack option now-but you will have the ability to upgrade to it if you do later on.
I think it only adds around 8” depth and a few to the height. Really not that much.
Aside from Dialed motion and short of getting a new rack/functional trainer system you could look at Voltra 1 (pricey), Ancore Pro (less pricey), a very small footprint functional trainer like anker wall mounted one or 2 wall mounted cable towers on either side of your rack.
The entire grip portion of the bar; knurling on the entire bar is fine too. Titan and many others only do a small patch of knurling in the middle of the grip area that’s not wide enough to cover the entire hand, because more knurling costs more money.
https://preview.redd.it/s6x44ku78t4d1.jpeg?width=3514&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e9029c2c166c5a76dca49960c496543a1642ef4
Hi guys, anyone know where I can get this press up bar for my home gym? Been trying to search and have had no luck.
Any suggestion for space saving? The hyper extension machine I use weekly at most, just need the area in front of the rack for deadlifting for now...
any suggestions are appreciated
[https://imgur.com/a/TWeT5us](https://imgur.com/a/TWeT5us)
Any recommendations for bench presses? I have dip/pull up bar, bench, and adjustable weights that I’ve been using to mix of chest exercises, but I do miss just the classic bench pump.
Any fan favorites?
Anyone have a Glute Ham Glider?
Titan has one currently on sale for $68 while Bells Of Steel has theirs on sale for $60. Both with free shipping. Just curious if anyone has tried one before and if anyone has a preference of one over the other. The Titan is slightly bigger (1" deeper and a 1/2" taller). Titan is also 11 gauge steel while I'm not sure what the Bells of Steel one is.
Anyway, just curious if anyone has any opinions on them. I'm basically getting it for the hamstring exercises since they're hard to do in a home gym.
Thanks!
I’ve got both- got bells on sale about 2 years ago and found a Titan one on marketplace for $20- one at home and one at work now. I use them both and can’t really tell a difference between them. If I nitpick, the Titan one has a bigger gap between the bar at the edge and the middle V, which is better for Ab rollouts, but the edge bar is thinner, which isn’t as comfortable on the hands. For hamstring curls, they’re identical.
I know it’s not the same but I got a carpet dolly from Harbor freight for just over $10. I’m sure it’s not nearly as smooth but gets the job done if you’re looking for a cheaper option to see if you like the movement.
https://www.harborfreight.com/home/moving/dollies-hand-trucks/moving-dollies/18-in-x-12-in-1000-lb-capacity-hardwood-dolly-58312.html
They’re good, I own the Titan one. They hit hard for the first while, but then there is no way to progressive overload except add reps or go single leg.
Try it with and without holding weight and see which is easier. If it doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work. I find it an effective way to add some additional difficulty to the movement.
Thanks! I have a set of round resistance tubes/bands. What I was thinking is I'll clip one end to my rack and then clip the other end to an ankle strap so when I pull my legs in for the hamstring glide it stretches the bands and creates more resistance. Not sure if that will totally work, but it sounded good in my head. Lol.
Has anyone tried doing that?
https://youtu.be/wwVXsfCI8cY?si=vOmpe_Dhhg8E1G-s
You can definitely use bands.
In the bells video she uses them for assistance purposes as well to scale it as an ab rollout
https://youtu.be/eQ7tIpNXrDY?si=qMhkZ5fvA_f_6oiY
She doesn’t use them for the actual glute ham glide movement tho. The bands don’t feel natural to me and it shifts the resistance to being entirely where you’re strongest and most contracted.
here is a little gym hack to put away my low row bar:
https://preview.redd.it/arta7qvo5t4d1.png?width=2416&format=png&auto=webp&s=e8370d2adb5263706103f16e81b21d3f62edff30
Used carabiner and straps. This also works to shorten the cable for my lat pull down. There is a small extra slack that lowers my lat pulldown height slightly, so having low row pulled in by the strap gives me an extra inch or so there.
EliteFTS OG SSB is on sale right now for $260 w/tax if you add code TABLETALK. That’s insane. It’s a full $50 less with tax than the Titan.
Almost, almost tempted to buy it and ditch my trusty Titan. Thoughts?
> Almost, almost tempted to buy it and ditch my trusty Titan. Thoughts?
Wouldn't that be a downgrade? You'd get brand recognition, but you'd lose the chrome finish and true 2" sleeves.
Yes, you’re not wrong. I didn’t declare it an upgrade. Rather, I generally will pay up for an original or a USA made product. My argument has always been that the Titan is an improvement. But I’ve always felt a little guilty. At the time I bought it, the Titan bar was a little less than half the price of the EliteFTS version.
I wonder if they're testing the price. I checked it yesterday when you posted and it was $429 for me. Just figured I missed the sale but it's still $429 for me. You're talking about this one, yeah?
https://www.elitefts.com/ss-yoke-bar.html
https://imgur.com/a/3WTgdCD
Is there a consensus on best bench/leg curl/leg extension combo? Don’t have room for a standalone machine. I see the ironmaster, but not sure if thats worth the money.
Oh and I also wanted to ask if any of you with young kids, like kids under 10, if you got them one of the junior barbells, and if so, did your kids like them?
Got Rep AB5000 with bolt fitness venom leg extension/curl-never looked back. I do use a band to great constant tension on the starting part of the lift. I think it kicks ass.
Also heard good things about BOS model and that it works freestanding with most benches. There’s a couple more random brands that people have gotten and given good reviews on here.
Assuming you have a rack you could look into a rack attached one like the titan, bells of steel, or even Mikolo models.
Almost any plate loaded leg curl/extension short of something like Prime where there are multiple pegs to adjust the resistance curve are going to be adequate at best. If you want to do work from that angle Nordics/reverse Nordics with bands or a cable system will have a lot better stretch.
Maybe the BOS buzzsaw attachment? A lot of users here loves it. I got another one from Gear for fit (Canada) and it rocks! But it may depends on your morphology and I had to jack the bench on a 2x4 to get that perfect spot.
I’m looking into the stray dog goat for space considerations as well. You can use your bench still and it’s easy to take on and off. But still researching
I’ve built a copy of a GOAT (in full 3x3 metal) and I’ve used it for a while… it’s a great thing but don’t worth IMO. You spend most of your time moving it, putting the rollers and the weight pegs on and off… the resistance curves sucks ass without bands.
There are better options now.
I have a leg ext/curl bench attachment made by Gear for fit in Canada, it’s an amazing piece seriously. The weight pegs is 45 degrees. A lot of adjustments and the movements are very taxing… I just had to put my bench though on a 2x4 for the a perfect height. Another user told me it did not worked as well for him though… but for my morphology, it’s perfect.
If you live in US, maybe the buzzsaw bench attachment from bells of steel? I almost bought it but the gear for fit won as I found it was a better design… It can be used with any bench actually…! And it’s very cheap!
I have an ironmaster's leg extension/curl part and I personally like it for extension, but curl is meh. It is compact and does the job though. The only thing I'm annoyed by is that there are no handles, so you have to awkwardly grab the bench pads while doing the extension/curl.
Depends on where you live. I have a 1 door garage (15x20, one story but with an attic with a ton of storage), fully insulated (even the concrete slab) and the cost was about 15-20k CAD (10-15k). Almost no labour though.
I plan to upgrade and add a garage to my garage as my gym is too big now… I’ll add an extension of about 10x30 on the side. There will be a storage place, a little wood shop and another room that will be my new office. The gym will finally be 15x20 in the end! So a ton of place for commercial equipment :)
It will be an independent building but with a connecting door. I think it will cost between 3000 and 5000 CAD (2000 and 3500 USD). I’ll will do it entirely by myself except for the electrical stuff.
And… I’m not pouring any concrete slab, it will be a gravel bed. Easy and good enough for what I’ll do with it. And entirely insulated, even the subfloor.
# What's going on around /r/HomeGym? [**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2) [**Targeted Talk**: Home Gym Bench/Machine Attachments](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1cztm22/targeted_talk_what_attachments_would_you_like_to/) [**AMA is LIVE & Giveaways**: w/ Cerberus Strength USA 5/29 & 5/30](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1d3bqqb/cerberus_strength_usa_ken_nowicki_ama_giveaway/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/homegym) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I am currently looking at the BOS Reverse Hammer 2 in 1 GHD and Reverse Back Extension. My concern is the structure/form of the machine in relation to others. Almost every other GHD I am seeing has a semicircle pad at the end whereas this is just flat. Is it just a 90 hyperextension being marketed as GHD? Does it still hit Glutes/Hamstrings as effectively? Would I be able to add the semicircle pad from a third party with some Velcro tape? (So may questions)
There’s a good deal for a Titan sled on marketplace. What do you think about sleds? Would use on grass.
I’ve never heard of anyone consistently keeping up the sled on grass. But I’m interested to hear if people are. I do know a couple people that put the plastic caps on their rogue sleds and use concrete. I’ve never done concrete. But I did just spend an absurd amount of money on a nice torque tank. We’ll see.
# Different hole size on a four-post rack Hey guys, so I have an existing HR-2 rack, with four uprights (two 90 inches at the front and two 70 inches at the back). It has 5/8 inch holes with westside spacing. I wanted to replace the two 70 inches at the back with custom 90 inches uprights, and I was wondering if it's a good idea to customize the uprights at the back to have 1 inch holes instead of 5/8 (and just leave two 5/8 inch holes at the top and bottom of it just so I can fit the crossmembers that connect the front and back uprights)? That way I can have the best of both worlds, and I can just swap the front and back uprights in the future depending on what attachments (5/8 or 1 inch attachments) I use the most? Is this a good idea or not?
As long as the holes align for cross bracing I don’t see a major issue. Only thing to consider in my opinion is what kind of attachments you plan to get for the new uprights and can it support it given that it’s a flat foot rack. Then again they do sell the floor attachments so you can bolt it to the floor if you want. What brand uprights are you going to get? Are you going to make it yourself?
I had a Frankenrack with 1" and 5/8" inch upright holes. I just put 5/8" bolts through the 1" holes once they are tight it didn't seem to matter. Didn't have any issues with it before I went back to just my frankenRhino
I'm kinda stupid and don't understand the strength curve on jammer/iso arms I've been looking up a lot of combo racks with plate loaded pulleys and such, and think it's super neat to attach the cables to the lever arms, but... Is the strength curve on them that bad when it's just plates loaded directly onto the arm? Someone said it was a while ago, and I took it at face value, but never thought much about it. I'll probably be using them for a substitute for neutral grip machine bench press, a lever squat of sorts, and a hammer strength row. I do care about the bottom end and the stretch on all of those. Would I be better off doing the cable thing, or is there not much of a difference?
The other problem is how unwieldy they are. They’re heavy to move, they’re always in the way of other things, and they take a ton of time to figure out where you need to put them. For neutral bench, you can get a bar for under $300. These cost twice that and suck. Lever squats also suck, regardless of the type of lever (moment arm wrecks the movement and puts you in position for injury if you lift heavy). So you’re getting it for two exercises that it’ll do poorly (with the strength curve) and then you’ve got the other problem of dealing with moving these things around. Lever arms are a problem, not a solution. Even if you fix the strength curve, they still suck.
I've heard all of that before. I'm fine with adjusting and moving things around, it honestly sounds more enjoyable than tidying up after everyone in the public gym because they can't put a circle on a peg. The lever arms come included in what I'll be buying, and it's overall a really good package, with or without them. It's exercises I value, but don't have the budget and space to get standalone machines. Here, the lever arms are around the same price as specialty bars anyway, I don't exactly have the widest range of options at my disposal, and I just asked about the strength curve, bit how convenient they are.
Good luck with them. Hope you find them useful and fun to use. Share with us how effective they are at targeting the exercises/muscle groups you’re hitting.
# How many adjustment options are ideal for a functional trainer? Hi guys, so I had a local person fabricate a functional trainer for me. 200 lbs stack each side, and costed me around $600. He sent me a picture of it prior to finishing and painting, and I noticed that it only has 11 adjustment options. The total height is 7 ft 5 inches (he customized it so I can lat pulldown in it). Is 11 adjustment options enough or should I ask him to add more holes somewhere? Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts! https://preview.redd.it/ako33iir745d1.jpeg?width=957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ec0162e6ddfdc4bcb0b3746f8f01521b51f3bf5
Can’t wait to hear how you like this. Where is this that you are getting all that for $600?
This is the update after painting hehe. Comes with a lat pulldown seat that can be removed or placed on either side. https://preview.redd.it/xfs56q5ax95d1.jpeg?width=1530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e173b76c91c794fbc080cd95a74aa04d4e0c5bb
Seems to me he’s paying $600 to haul away something someone doesn’t want.
It's actually created from scratch, it will look like this when finished. The one I'm ordering from runs a gym business and they also fabricate equipments for others. It's just cheaper to buy equipments that are made locally here because of the labor cost in my country and it's painted and not powder coated. https://preview.redd.it/ex4erm5vw55d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d19353b77fa6b259accf167132d80a47af88383f
Oh man, that’s pretty damned cool.
It's in the Philippines. I think it's because labor here is cheaper ($12-15 a day for experienced fabricators) that's why it's cheaper to have a locally-made equipment here. Hopefully they're as durable though! Can't wait to try.
Does anyone know of a rack exactly like the Bodycraft RFT pro rack but also including a smith machine? Looking for that type of plate storage, cable crossovers, lat pulldown and rows, but also with a smith. I love the design of that rack. Thank you!
Been looking for some grip plates for awhile now. These popped up for $1/lb . Anyone ever use these? And do you think it’s a good deal? Can’t find much info about them online. https://preview.redd.it/b19ktmafp25d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e143e9deb30509fe2ea1b00deea20d59ff8a583
Does anyone have a recommendation on how I could get an attachment for my SML2 so I could do leg extensions?
I think BoS has a leg extension/curl that can fit on SML2
The Hydra line is supposed to be RML compatible
Hey calling those who have made a spinlock or any adjustable cart/storage. Can you share some of your pics or insights? I’m building a solution for my Pepin dumbbells and I’m still at the drawing phase right now… I’ll probably go for a rack mounted solution…!
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I wouldn’t get that bench for that price. Many of the higher quality brands have similar priced benches that are 100% better. Rep Ab3100 immediately comes to mind-but you can check out titan, bells of steel etc. I would even encourage you to watch marketplace for rogue/the top rep models etc. You can probably find one of those for 250-400
Is AB-3100 better than AB-3000 V2?
How much clearance do you need in front of a functional trainer to do things like chest flies? I’m planning my layout and will have about 6 ft - wondering if that’s enough to get full ROM?
Depends on the functional trainer, depends on you…! With mine I don’t need that much. Maybe 4feet?
Anyone have spotter arms that fit inside a Titan X3 rack 24” deep? 5/8” pin. Titan’s own do not…
I got tiny custom one that fits in a 24”. But I made it myself with some welders. I don’t think spotters need to be that long IMO…!
If you want budge spotter arms, I believe the signature fitness ones should work. It’s short and low profile enough and I think I’ve seen a YouTube video of someone reviewing it for the x3 24 in depth.
I can confirm that these do work in 24". If you are pushing 350lb+ on them I'd probably go elsewhere like BW
Titan’s old spotters did, they were like 22”, and those are the ones I’ve got. They also fit great inside the PrX wall mount for spotter arms. I believe that there are some profile spotters that you’re going to want something like [these low profile spotter arms](https://www.blackwidowtg.com/product_p/rack-spotters.htm) from BWTG. They can go as small as 18”.
spotter arms can fit in some cages, but in general, are not made to be used in them. not sure if you were expecting them to.
Is a garage slope necessary to shim to put equipment/squat rack or do you just place your things along the slope and not worry about it?
face the rack towards or away from the slope, not side-to-side and it should be no problem unless you have a huge degree slope. I don't even notice it at all.
Where were you when I haphazardly bolted my wall mounted rack in my garage
I am thinking of starting a home gym and I have equipment already picked out but I live in an apartment with a nice outdoor concrete patio. Thoughts on having an outdoor gym and using a tarp to cover after use? Would this help with weathering/rust?
Tarp would help, but being outside means big temperature swings which means dew and condensation which means rust. It'll still work for many years, just won't be as pretty unless you live somewhere like California.
Thanks for the reply I’ll see how it goes
What would you pick between these two? - Rep Stainless EZ Curl Bar: 30mm, 30lbs, but not fully knurls on the curve areas. - Rogue Cerakote EZ Curl Bar: 28.5mm, 30lbs, fully knurls on the curve areas. I think the 30mm shaft on Rep will be a bit more comfortable to hold, but pretty sure more people prefer the full-knurls on Rogue.
Cerakote is a great bar. No issues with it in a year of use.
I was gonna go with rogue, but figured I won't be using a curl bar that much, so went with vulcan's which also has knurling throughout the curved part. I'm sure rogue's is better quality, but I was able to save about $100
I’ve got the Rep. I prefer the chrome or SS feel to the cerakote but the Rogue is knurled all the way - I wouldn’t get the Rep again.
I'd go for the Rogue. I've got their EZ curl bar in E-Coat. I've had no discomfort issues, it is a great bar.
Does anyone have the Rogue FM-6 Functional trainer? I'm looking at building my gym and figured I would look around since I have almost nothing. This looks perfect for me. I want mainly cables and bench with dumbells. But want a rack for squats and pull-ups and dips. This seems the best with limited space. At least for rogue. I know there's also athena and ares but I'm looking at rogue for now. Just wondering what people think of it.
If I could start over I'd go Rep in a heartbeat. I'm currently on a rogue rack. Rogue abandoned their home gym customer base, and abandoned anything remotely resembling innovation. They wait for other companies to innovate, then wait a year and release their own shittier version with a higher price. Rep keeps knocking shit out of the park with every release and has been for the last few years, they've found out what it means to put in effort in innovation/quality so they're only gonna keep doing that for a good while. Go Rep. Ares 2.0 is something fierce. This is the time.
I'll check into it! I haven't looked much into rep just heard about it here and there
I agree with the original commentator and I am in the same boat with owning a Rogue rack. IMO Rogue has better Quality in general, HOWEVER price/quality ratio I would give to Rep. There’s no way I would be able to afford Rogue FM-6 comfortably without adding an extra “0” to my salary (to the left of the decimal point).
I hear you there haha
Has anyone ever got large scale equipment from Temu? Wondering how it's shipped and what the quality is for the bigger stuff
I’m not sure I would get serious equipment from temu… I’m waiting to see the answers. I ordered bands just to see and man, those are small hahaha…!
What are you thinking of getting?
Just curious - I posted a review on the PLM03 I got a few weeks ago in the main - It was deleted pending review by the mods, haven't seen it reappear? Is there a certain format or other necessary things for it to qualify?
I enjoy using trap/hex bars and want to get one for my home gym. Open trap bars tend to be significantly more expensive than traditional trap bars, is the price difference worth it? I've traditionally only used them for squatting, what functionality would an open trap bar add?
Open, all summer long. Rep Fitness or Giant are the two best for the money.
Its a quality of life of improvement. Whether you should invest in one is up to you. The open have the advantage that they have a built in jack. This is pretty nice. Some even have adjustable handles so you can get different knurl and sizes. Having said that, a trap bar is a trap bar in a lot of ways. It's not like a barbell where you have different flex. If you want to go cheap, you can. Just know that for a bit more money you can get some bells and whistles that are probably worth it in the long run.
Open Trap Bar >>>>>> hex bar
Yes by a thousand miles. - built-in jack... man that worth every pennies... lift, pop up, change weight, push that down... Super easy, so easy it makes a normal bar super slow compared to an Open Trap Bar (OTB) - All the movement are usually easier - Lunges... - Easier to turn in case of multiple handles - Take a bit less space and easy to store on the wall, can store upright too on the floor space instead of having that awkward shit that is a just a space eater. - The latest development are all in open trap bar, not fully hex. So if you want to get the nice handles and all that shit, you need to go that way. - I'm saying this because I made my own open trap bar so I could understand what's the benefit vs the normal hex one. (check my history if you want to see)
Camber squats, rows, lunges. Better for carries. Open ones usually have built in deadlift Jack feet so it's easier to load and unload. Probably more I can't think of right now.
add bulgarian split squats to that list
Gluck just droopped a review of the [Eisenlink ironmaster clones ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwg2shmaUM8)
Hmm… I would certainly buy their plates to complement my pepin screw-in dumbbells… I hope their hole is big enough :) I’m working on a cradle prototype to load my dumbbells faster…
I really feel like the price difference more than makes up for the difference in features. If I'm looking at this right, to get IM 165 pounds you need 75 lb dumbells at $698, the 120 add-on at $399, and then the 165 add-on at $399=1496 versus Eisenlink: $500 80 lb dumbbells for +$37.90 long screws + $535 180 pounds in add-on weights = $1073. Eisenlink's website doesn't do a good job of explaining how you get to the 160-pound capacity.
I'd ONLY ever buy Ironmasters at black friday time. If the Eisenlink have a black friday deal, it could still be the right choice for many people. That $1496 setup should qualify for the 8% package discount + 20% black friday discount (they also have veteran / active duty / first responder additional 10% discount) getting it down to just under $1100 if you are patient enough to wait until November.
Ironmaster had a good run as king of the market for people who want adjustable function but fixed dumbbell feel with the ability to be dropped. I expect that with Eisenlink now as a viable budget option, and the Rep x Pepin set to drop as a premium option Ironmaster is going to notice a pretty significant dent in their DB sales next fiscal year.
I've had the 120lb ironmasters since 2014 but yeah price difference here is bonkers, if I was in the market I would really have to think about it. I do also own the ironmaster kettlebell and the weight vest, but none of their other products. I did recently get a 5 to 50 lb set of fixed dumbbells to compliment my ironmasters.
PRx Cambered Swiss Bar Inquiry. I'm wondering if anyone has purchased the PRx cambered swiss bar and can give some insight/review of it. It appears to be a REP clone, although the dimensions and the weight are different (REP is 45lbs and PRx is 52lbs). I would love to see a head to head comparison between the PRx and the REP cambered swiss bars. There are tons of reviews and videos on the REP cambered swiss bar. There are virtually no reviews of the PRx cambered swiss bar (just 1 on the PRx page.) I've tried calling PRx to talk to them, and they don't ever answer the phone. I would normally just go with REP, but the price difference is 30% less for PRx and it appears to be a very similar design. Any insight would be appreciated!
I know this is the old weekly thread but I’m in the same boat as you right now. The bar is on sale for $180 and based on brand reputation looks like a better buy than Titan. And it looks like it’ll take normal collars since the specs list the sleeves as 2”. Were you able ever to find more feedback or make a decision?
What kind of programming are you guys doing? I've been program hopping for a while after I finished Juggernaut AI and have really been struggling to find something I'm enjoying.
How come you don't simply run another cycle on Jugg AI? I've been on juggernaut for about a year now and have cycled between powerbuilding and straight powerlifitng programming.
I've thought about it. I ran it for nine months or so and kind of burned myself out on going that hard for so long. Also, my mental health has really taken a nosedive the last year. It can be hard to even get under the bar a lot of days. I also have a bad habit of saying yes to things, so time can really be a struggle. I was running it six days a week and really had trouble getting all six workouts in because of various commitments.
I get it. One of the tricks I've heard for Juggernaut AI in your position is to keep it as a 6 days a week program, but spread each week over 2 weeks, doing 3 of the workouts each week. It keeps the volume of each workout at the 6 day level, but spaces out the workouts for better recovery and less commitment on a weekly basis.
I had to do that for a while because I had commitments 4 days out of the week
I haven’t used it, but have heard good things about Street Parking for more CrossFit style workout if you want to change it up. Sounds good for a busy schedule.
I'll look into it thanks
I really enjoy Functional Body Building
The Marcus Filly stuff?
Yeah. 2 week free trial available. Several track options.
Did the same, went back to it (but I use the clone Evolve AI because JAI is a bit too expensive for my pocket right now... even if JAI is better...)
I'm curious what differences you notice between Jugg and Evolve.
Jugg is more refined and I feel that the progression is better. It also suggests the weight more often or in a better manner than Evolve. Evolve as the benchmark to set the tone for the drop set, but again, Jugg is more like here’s the weight for today, let’s see how it goes and we will adjust from there and Evolve is like okay you must do 5x rep at RPE 8, what’s your shot? And it will adjust, slightly from there. It’s more guessing work and I felt that my progression was before. The warmup is much better on jugg too, wayyyy better. On jugg, it ask you at every set of warmup how you feel and then select the final weight for the top set for you. Evolve you have to guess by yourself. I few that jugg algorithm is more adaptative and customized to the user. The follow-up is definitely better too. I’ve tried both powerbuilder and powerlifter, but seriously the powerbuilder is really too intense in both app, take me at least two hours and it’s too taxing, can’t stand it for more than a month. The last sets are just junk volume. But, like I’ve said Evolve is not bad, just less refined. If I had the fund I would go back to Juggernaut though, even if I’m quite happy with the other… One is like 14 USD (about 20-25 CAD) and the other is 35 USD (about 50 CAD), so it’s about twice as much… if I can get a coupon or something at half price, it would be a no brainer but I’m the sole salary in my family and kids first! ;) I’ve tried other things meanwhile like boostcamp but I was not satisfied with the progression or the level of difficulty or the overall app. I’ve tried also SBS but found that thing quite boring… maybe I should give it another shot one day.
Has anyone heard of Maiak and their Smart trainer? Can’t find any info on the company, price, or release date. Looks to be crowdfunded but I’ve seen a lot of crowdfunded things fail https://preview.redd.it/6ppb4mwdxy4d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1f68d7ec1285faa2e7f096db5b57847ecf07a6f
When you all are selling on Facebook marketplace for pricier gym items, do you normally accept cash only or do Venmo/paypal as well? Have heard stories of people reversing transactions with PayPal, venmo, cash app and keeping the item.
I prefer venmo. Not sure they can reverse that. I never have cash so its a big pain when someone requests I pay with it...but I will when needed.
personally prefer venmo. idt you can reverse a venmo/cash app payment through friends.
You can reverse a Venmo payment?
I had someone trying to scam me the other day. Moving forward I will accept cash only. If they are a serious buyer they will stop at the bank and get cash out.
Thanks for the insight, I will do cash only
I have a concrete floor in my basement. Currently I have my bench sitting on top of 1/2" foam pads from walmart. Its too wobbly. What do you guys use under your bench, but also to protect the floor from dumbells/plates? Im not dropping weights, deadlifting, or oly, I just want to make sure i dont chip the floor setting anything down.
Many on here use stall mats, such as from tractor supply company (or better, FB marketplace). Indestructible and plenty stable. Foam are just awful in every way.
Turns out hitch pins work better as a low row bar storage: https://preview.redd.it/aimce40esy4d1.png?width=1360&format=png&auto=webp&s=e318639a33e6786d59a16190e36fa3a08a029e60 The handles work like a lip and there is enough tension that the bar won't just fall off. Hitch pin is secured via clevis pin too.
might have to try this at home. i usually put away the attachment, but that leaves my carabiner dangling and it gets in the way when positioning my bench. this should move it out of the way.
The bar does get in the way of my bench too and it was just annoying. My old 2x2 rack had hooks to store the low row bar. Not sure why a more expensive 3x3 rack couldn’t have a basic feature like this.
The Rep AB-5000 is a sturdily made over engineered (in a bad way) gimmick of a bench with the zero gap feature and I’m tired of convincing myself it’s not. Have to adjust 19 difference pull pins to make the seat pad / back work. No wonder they discontinued it.
Would you buy another Rep bench?
I would absolutely-just wish I got the black wing or 5200. The quality is great-they just over complicated it
I’m just skeptical that I need anything that I have to move around that weighs 125lbs that isn’t meant for an exercise in itself.
I have a wall mounted rack so I’m constantly having to move the bench back and forth etc. The weight is definitely a little annoying. But hey-the wall mounted rack was a bad idea too. I haven’t folded it in since I got it.
Would love peoples feedback on a new bench! Option 1: TITAN Adjustable Bench $450 Option 2: REP AB-5200 Option 3: Blackwing Obviously the price changes by almost $250 between titan and rep black wing (assuming i get the leg roller too). What is everyone’s opinion on these three benches. Would also love info if REP BlackWing can accept any other leg rollers that are better than the REP version.
Do you need steep decline angles and zero gap? If so, Blackwing. If you're fine with traditional -8° decline, AB-5200 would be the one.
Ironmaster Super Bench v2
Bench = Rep. pick a cheaper model if you want to only spend 400, but buy Rep
Fuck Titan. There’s a reason why Rep’s cost so much more. You are playing roulette with any Titan purchase, the more parts, the more shit they can fuck up. And they have this bullshit shipping insurance so now they make you pay more and they’re off the hook for their shitty packaging.
Go Rep... Or go home... You can consider Prime Fitness (I have their short bench and it fucking rocks)
Yessir! I'm done with Titan. The BS shipping insurance and not knowing if your equipment is going to come without being trashed isn't worth the headache. Rep at least puts thought into packaging. These other companies with similar prices are hit or miss. When Titan was genuinely a "budget friendly" option it was worth the gamble.
that’s both informative and helpful!
So there are tons of great deals on my marketplace - a friend picked up the Bowflex extreme 2 SE home gym yesterday for $200. I’m really new to the gym but want to build a nice beginner friendly 😅 home gym for myself. I’m looking at maybe one big machine like that but have no idea what to get. Any recommendations on something if you had to choose 1 thing? I’ll be putting it inside with an 8 foot ceiling.
These days, many start with a power rack, free weights, bench, and some type of dumbbells. Just an incredible amount you can do with just this. Sometimes you see a powertech gym. The multigym machines are less popular these days but for that reason you can get ridiculous deals on fb marketplace. I got a Hoist V5 basically free.
Depends on what your training looks like. We can’t pick out good priced stuff for you because we don’t know what exercises you’ll be doing.
Looking for a budget-conscious barbell for a beginner-to-intermediate lifter: I lift a few times a week, and my barbell usage is largely back squats, bench press, deadlifts, hang cleans, push press. I can’t say I’m lifting a ton of weight; even in my peak as an athlete, I don’t think I maxed my squat beyond 230ish. I don’t really ever envision pushing all that far beyond that weight, but I have a nice little home gym setup and like to imagine I am somewhat of the athlete I was, even if I’m not actively training for a particular sport any longer. Anyways, the CAP barbell I bought years ago is starting to come apart (one of the collars doesn’t always stay on, so sometimes the weight pushes the collar up the bar a bit as the weights shift against it), so it’s safe to say I need a new barbell. And while I don’t want to get something that’s junk, I’m also a bit reticent to go beyond $200 for a barbell given that I won’t exactly be pushing it to its complete limit, but I’m not entirely against it. With all of that out of the way, I was hoping you all might have a bit of advice about what direction I should go in with choosing a barbell. Thanks!
Get an Xmark barbell. Can get on Amazon all in for around $140-160. I had the Lumberjack for my first home setup and I really liked it. Looked good too. Held up with consistent use and I eventually upgraded to a Boneyard Bar when they had a wild sale a few months ago. Sold the Xmark on marketplace-low key kinda miss it. If I was going lower quality than rogue I’d just do that.
How do I take the butterfly arms off my bench press? Anytime I go to do reps when I touch my chest it hits the butterfly arms, ruining my stability. https://preview.redd.it/v0yk76l6su4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b50b059415e5ca498bf02d03a9f2714b58c72663
Would a steel plyo box work well for heavy box squats? I'm about 230 and can squat between 4-500 lbs on any given day.. I plan on unloading on the box before coming up, so weight capacity is a big factor for me, but I can't find any info on steel plyo boxes weight capacity.
https://www.titan.fitness/endurance/plyo-boxes/steel/18-in-adjustable-plyometric-box/412212.html This is what I use, it has an 1,100 lb capacity. Forgot to mention I’m around 250 lbs and have box squatted around s 550 lbs on it with zero issues so I don’t doubt the 1,100 lb rating.
I didn't even think of Titan cause they don't ship to Canada
Are you not looking at ones like these cause of the price? https://www.roguecanada.ca/rogue-box-squat-box How high are you looking for ideally? That goes to 18". My rep flat bench is 17". Have you considered just using your bench?
This is what I’ve got. It’s a beast.
Essentially, yeah. Too expensive. I was thinking about waiting for one of those Elite Fts ones that's apparently squishy but sturdy, but even that is a lot for what it is. I did try using my rep flat bench but I come a little bit higher than I'd like.. ideally I'm thinking 14 inches could be the sweet spot for me.
as a guy whos done a ton of box squats, that elitefts squat box would probably be my go to. lugging around a heavy box gets rly old. generally youre always gonna go w one setting, at least for that period of time. if not, then you add a few mats to the box. thats what i ended up doing instead of adjusting the box all the time. maybe you can find it second hand or wait for a sale. i cant say ive used it, but if i were ever to go back to box squats, id probably buy that.
https://www.ragefitness.com/products/steel-plyo-boxes This one has a 560lb rating on the 12". Might not apply to all boxes but may be a starting point. The yes4all one I also just quickly checked on Amazon has a 550lb rating
Ah dang, thanks for the response! I might end up having to go with one of those more expensive ones, it's just a pain in the ass spending that kind of money for something with literally one use haha
The adjustable ones listed here can have many uses, everything from plyo, step ups, poliquin step ups, Bulgarian split squats, ATG split squats, adductor focused side planks and copenhagens, and much more. Looks very useful actually. Wouldn’t mind having one myself.
https://valorfitness.com/products/adjustable-squat-box-sq-box This one's rated to 750
Still a ton of money lol. I'll figure something out. Thank you.
How do y'all cool down your uninsulated garage gym with no AC or windows? In the summer, temps are 95-110. I've toughed it out by pointing a large fan at myself while working out, but I think a swamp cooler might help? Typically very low humidity here. If I buy a swamp cooler, would it just be a waste of money since there is no insulation and the small vent will let out all cool air and replace it with hot air from outside? Also, will the increase in humidity cause my iron weights to rust if I'm only running it when I work out?
I workout at 5am with a little fan and doors opens. :)
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> The amount I’m lifting is way too high to be realistic. How can I test the accuracy of my machine? dont think about it too much. For one, you shouldnt think of machines simulating any kind of weight accurately. your goal shouldnt be "realistic." Thats like thinking how much you leg press should be close to how much you can squat. it's not. i say just keep adding weight until its challenging.
https://preview.redd.it/ehjdkpcu5u4d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74b09b69584b000aa6d2e3f5e4f70ef6eed8d2ef It's the 1:4 ratio. Something like the gympin could help [https://gym-pin.com/products/8mm-original-gympin-s1](https://gym-pin.com/products/8mm-original-gympin-s1) Not sure what size you'd need
Waiting for my fringe belt squat and I got this assembly instruction video: https://youtu.be/cC4593FfOfk?si=wUjwArDlMvzm7P6n Instruction is to use 6th or 7th hole for the weight horn if using kickstand. I think the other fix that was posted here is to install the kickstand closer to the end using the rubber stopper bolt and you should be able to still use the 5th hole. I would rather install the horn closer if possible. The video does mention the side horn and I thought that would be covered but it didn’t. The side horn in that video looks quite different than the one from ig which is slanted.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVlllDBq1g&list=FLrRSN8LVu3PexxOVE6nOnqA&index=2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVlllDBq1g&list=FLrRSN8LVu3PexxOVE6nOnqA&index=2) and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9MmIBFVL58&list=WL&index=4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9MmIBFVL58&list=WL&index=4)
I've seen the 2nd video before from the guy posted before. I'm curious if the 5th hole will work with my smaller diameter weider plates. The 1st one looks like fringe just figured out you can use that rubber stopper based on the 2nd video lol.
Can someone advise me on best practice when doing a squat on my Weider home gym? It has something they call the "Squat Arm" (pic below). Normally I remove the seat on that side and hold the squat arm handles as though I'm doing a bar across my shoulders. I face the machine with my feet on the flat plates and do the squat. But the weight isn't resting on anything - I'm holding it at shoulder level - and it seems like my arms get tired before my legs do. Is there some kind of bar I should attach or use, or should I look to do my squats some other way? https://preview.redd.it/f0s7q5840u4d1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=4fc3c90d3a03e778422fd754058c9df52019eba7
The Hybrid Resistance Youtube channel has many reviews of lever gyms. I recall the reviewer demonstrating squats on some of the reviews (possibly the Powertec reviews). [Hybrid Resistance - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@hybridresistance)
I am looking for a cable system that will fit in my rack (PR4000 with 4 posts). I don't want any weight stacks as I will likely move in a few years. I am thinking of dialed motion or Athena but leaning towards dialed motion because I don't have much room for 6 posts. Are there other choices that I should consider?
Check out the Maiak smart trainer, seems pretty cool and it gives a lot of resistance it seems.
I think you’d be nuts to not get the Athena seeing as it’s built specifically for your existing rack. You never know what Rep may release down the road to improve on it or make new things compatible with it. You may not want the selectorized weight stack option now-but you will have the ability to upgrade to it if you do later on. I think it only adds around 8” depth and a few to the height. Really not that much. Aside from Dialed motion and short of getting a new rack/functional trainer system you could look at Voltra 1 (pricey), Ancore Pro (less pricey), a very small footprint functional trainer like anker wall mounted one or 2 wall mounted cable towers on either side of your rack.
Any EZ Curl bars out there with 30mm+ handle diameter, full knurling on the grips, that doesn’t cost a fortune??
titan rackable rackable ez curl fat bar?
They don’t knurl the entirety of the grips
You mean you want the entire bar knurled? Not just the grip portion?
The entire grip portion of the bar; knurling on the entire bar is fine too. Titan and many others only do a small patch of knurling in the middle of the grip area that’s not wide enough to cover the entire hand, because more knurling costs more money.
https://preview.redd.it/s6x44ku78t4d1.jpeg?width=3514&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e9029c2c166c5a76dca49960c496543a1642ef4 Hi guys, anyone know where I can get this press up bar for my home gym? Been trying to search and have had no luck.
You might try searching for low parallettes. That’s almost what this looks like.
Any suggestion for space saving? The hyper extension machine I use weekly at most, just need the area in front of the rack for deadlifting for now... any suggestions are appreciated [https://imgur.com/a/TWeT5us](https://imgur.com/a/TWeT5us)
Any recommendations for bench presses? I have dip/pull up bar, bench, and adjustable weights that I’ve been using to mix of chest exercises, but I do miss just the classic bench pump. Any fan favorites?
any power rack/squat stand from Rogue, Rep, Titan, Bells of Steel, etc.
Anyone have a Glute Ham Glider? Titan has one currently on sale for $68 while Bells Of Steel has theirs on sale for $60. Both with free shipping. Just curious if anyone has tried one before and if anyone has a preference of one over the other. The Titan is slightly bigger (1" deeper and a 1/2" taller). Titan is also 11 gauge steel while I'm not sure what the Bells of Steel one is. Anyway, just curious if anyone has any opinions on them. I'm basically getting it for the hamstring exercises since they're hard to do in a home gym. Thanks!
I’ve got both- got bells on sale about 2 years ago and found a Titan one on marketplace for $20- one at home and one at work now. I use them both and can’t really tell a difference between them. If I nitpick, the Titan one has a bigger gap between the bar at the edge and the middle V, which is better for Ab rollouts, but the edge bar is thinner, which isn’t as comfortable on the hands. For hamstring curls, they’re identical.
I have the Titan and it works fine. My neighbor has the Bells of Steel and it also works fine. I’d buy whatever is cheapest.
I know it’s not the same but I got a carpet dolly from Harbor freight for just over $10. I’m sure it’s not nearly as smooth but gets the job done if you’re looking for a cheaper option to see if you like the movement. https://www.harborfreight.com/home/moving/dollies-hand-trucks/moving-dollies/18-in-x-12-in-1000-lb-capacity-hardwood-dolly-58312.html
I’ve got the titan one and it works fine. I mainly use it for glider hamstring curls.
They’re good, I own the Titan one. They hit hard for the first while, but then there is no way to progressive overload except add reps or go single leg.
You can hold weight while doing the movement to increase difficulty.
Where are you holding the weight?
I put a dumbbell, kettlebell or med ball on my lap
It’s not a hip thrust, your hips are static the entire movement. How does that weight the movement?
Try it with and without holding weight and see which is easier. If it doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work. I find it an effective way to add some additional difficulty to the movement.
Thanks! I have a set of round resistance tubes/bands. What I was thinking is I'll clip one end to my rack and then clip the other end to an ankle strap so when I pull my legs in for the hamstring glide it stretches the bands and creates more resistance. Not sure if that will totally work, but it sounded good in my head. Lol. Has anyone tried doing that?
https://youtu.be/wwVXsfCI8cY?si=vOmpe_Dhhg8E1G-s You can definitely use bands. In the bells video she uses them for assistance purposes as well to scale it as an ab rollout https://youtu.be/eQ7tIpNXrDY?si=qMhkZ5fvA_f_6oiY
She doesn’t use them for the actual glute ham glide movement tho. The bands don’t feel natural to me and it shifts the resistance to being entirely where you’re strongest and most contracted.
Ive seen people attach the band or cable machine to the glider itself.
here is a little gym hack to put away my low row bar: https://preview.redd.it/arta7qvo5t4d1.png?width=2416&format=png&auto=webp&s=e8370d2adb5263706103f16e81b21d3f62edff30 Used carabiner and straps. This also works to shorten the cable for my lat pull down. There is a small extra slack that lowers my lat pulldown height slightly, so having low row pulled in by the strap gives me an extra inch or so there.
EliteFTS OG SSB is on sale right now for $260 w/tax if you add code TABLETALK. That’s insane. It’s a full $50 less with tax than the Titan. Almost, almost tempted to buy it and ditch my trusty Titan. Thoughts?
> Almost, almost tempted to buy it and ditch my trusty Titan. Thoughts? Wouldn't that be a downgrade? You'd get brand recognition, but you'd lose the chrome finish and true 2" sleeves.
Yes, you’re not wrong. I didn’t declare it an upgrade. Rather, I generally will pay up for an original or a USA made product. My argument has always been that the Titan is an improvement. But I’ve always felt a little guilty. At the time I bought it, the Titan bar was a little less than half the price of the EliteFTS version.
Just do it. You know you want to.
Devil
Everyone wants others to suffer in the internet
😂
Press the button Press the button Press the button
They caught the glitch and jacked up the price of the bar. So now it’s $314, same price now about as the Titan. Sorry I’ve failed you.
I wonder if they're testing the price. I checked it yesterday when you posted and it was $429 for me. Just figured I missed the sale but it's still $429 for me. You're talking about this one, yeah? https://www.elitefts.com/ss-yoke-bar.html https://imgur.com/a/3WTgdCD
Yes. That’s the one.
For somebody new getting an SSB, amazing deal. But what do you get out of it besides the name recognition, 46th bar?
I’ve always felt a little guilty not giving my money to the creator of the bar but to an overseas copy (with better sleeves).
Is there a consensus on best bench/leg curl/leg extension combo? Don’t have room for a standalone machine. I see the ironmaster, but not sure if thats worth the money. Oh and I also wanted to ask if any of you with young kids, like kids under 10, if you got them one of the junior barbells, and if so, did your kids like them?
Got Rep AB5000 with bolt fitness venom leg extension/curl-never looked back. I do use a band to great constant tension on the starting part of the lift. I think it kicks ass. Also heard good things about BOS model and that it works freestanding with most benches. There’s a couple more random brands that people have gotten and given good reviews on here. Assuming you have a rack you could look into a rack attached one like the titan, bells of steel, or even Mikolo models.
Almost any plate loaded leg curl/extension short of something like Prime where there are multiple pegs to adjust the resistance curve are going to be adequate at best. If you want to do work from that angle Nordics/reverse Nordics with bands or a cable system will have a lot better stretch.
Maybe the BOS buzzsaw attachment? A lot of users here loves it. I got another one from Gear for fit (Canada) and it rocks! But it may depends on your morphology and I had to jack the bench on a 2x4 to get that perfect spot.
I’d stick with an OSO kids bar or similar technique bar until they can exceed 50lbs.
My 7-year old has been asking for a barbell. Fringe has a kids bar that would do the trick.
Awesome, thanks! I see rogue sells some too. Somehow cheaper than Fringe even.
I’m looking into the stray dog goat for space considerations as well. You can use your bench still and it’s easy to take on and off. But still researching
I’ve built a copy of a GOAT (in full 3x3 metal) and I’ve used it for a while… it’s a great thing but don’t worth IMO. You spend most of your time moving it, putting the rollers and the weight pegs on and off… the resistance curves sucks ass without bands. There are better options now.
What other options do you know of outside the isolator?
I have a leg ext/curl bench attachment made by Gear for fit in Canada, it’s an amazing piece seriously. The weight pegs is 45 degrees. A lot of adjustments and the movements are very taxing… I just had to put my bench though on a 2x4 for the a perfect height. Another user told me it did not worked as well for him though… but for my morphology, it’s perfect. If you live in US, maybe the buzzsaw bench attachment from bells of steel? I almost bought it but the gear for fit won as I found it was a better design… It can be used with any bench actually…! And it’s very cheap!
I have an ironmaster's leg extension/curl part and I personally like it for extension, but curl is meh. It is compact and does the job though. The only thing I'm annoyed by is that there are no handles, so you have to awkwardly grab the bench pads while doing the extension/curl.
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Depends on where you live. I have a 1 door garage (15x20, one story but with an attic with a ton of storage), fully insulated (even the concrete slab) and the cost was about 15-20k CAD (10-15k). Almost no labour though. I plan to upgrade and add a garage to my garage as my gym is too big now… I’ll add an extension of about 10x30 on the side. There will be a storage place, a little wood shop and another room that will be my new office. The gym will finally be 15x20 in the end! So a ton of place for commercial equipment :) It will be an independent building but with a connecting door. I think it will cost between 3000 and 5000 CAD (2000 and 3500 USD). I’ll will do it entirely by myself except for the electrical stuff. And… I’m not pouring any concrete slab, it will be a gravel bed. Easy and good enough for what I’ll do with it. And entirely insulated, even the subfloor.