Garage Gym - In Progress

[Shock6050]

A few may have read that I’m working on building out my own garage home gym. I did a search and it didn’t appear there were any active threads at this time (most closed after 90 days). I’m looking forward to sharing some pics once it is completed, but still have a little ways to go. First advice I’d give to anyone is to go to the tractor supply store and buy some large horse stable mats. They are very thick rubber and have treading on top to avoid any slippage (they were like 90 lbs a piece). I almost got the puzzle piece mats that you see on amazon and so glad I didn’t as they would never last very long. Next thing I got was a high quality power rack to do most core lifts. I paid a bit more to get a lat pulldown and lower cable row attachment, along with a pull-up bar that mounted up at the top of the rack. It also came with some nice attachments for dips. The second thing I got was a quality bench although I wish it adjusted for incline (can do flat and decline on it), so likely will be getting a second bench that allows all positions later. I’ve got weights and bars that are somewhat subpar but waiting to find a good deal before I buy a full set of those as prices are ridiculous now. I also found a nice WiFi enabled mountable heater that works extremely well. Lastly I mounted a shelf up high with my old stereo that I used for tailgating…can’t believe it still works after 20 years or so!

Anyhow just a brief overview of where I’m at now. Will add more details and some pics as it gets closer to being complete. Oh and for motivation I ordered a huge poster with GOOD across it (I’m sure most are very familiar with Jocko and his podcasts).

 

[Trollus]

That’s a great set up. I’m missing a lat pull down in my home set up. It’s nice to have access to a gym at home you can just shoot in for some quick sets when life gets busy.

 

[Bigmurph6]

Your almost ready to go

 

[Poppy]

Sounds outstanding. I would like to see pics

 

[GoPro]

All I do is workout at home. Some weights and the rest is body weight stuff. But I’m still packing kn pounds of muscle every couple weeks cause of my diet and from basically working out all day at work since I dk construction work.

 

[squatter]

I have a small home gym mostly from my dad, and I like it with all the lockdown bullshit. I recommend some cheap cardio equipment I love morning cardio really clears my mind and good for focus. I like an elliptical.

 

[DarthSocrates]

If you have a pullup bar on your rack it is pretty easy to make a lat pull with a few item from home depot.

 

[Trollus]

db Pullovers instead of lat pull down. It’s not the same but it works in a pinch.

 

[Shock6050]

There are a couple options I recently saw that allows you to basically put a pulldown anywhere that you have a stable bar to connect to. I can’t post links but I know fitbarstrong sells one.

FP-3 Lat Cable Pulley
from 89.00

Lat Pulldown Cable Pulley Attachment​

• Direct-mount cable pulley minimizes plate swing during movement
• Features high-quality needle bearing for ultra-smooth operation
• Includes pair of heavy-duty steel-core handles with durable foam grip
• 72” high-quality 2000 lb minimum break-strength rope with steel thimbles for maximum strength and durability
• Attaches to any 1.5” diameter or smaller pull up bar. Works best with bars 84 to 96” high
• Zinc-plated welded-steel chain for attachment to weight plates

 

[Shock6050]

I was definitely also in need of a good pair of adjustable dumbbells. From reviews the Bowflex and Critical Supllies dial dumbbells seemed to be rated the best. I ended up getting the Critical Supplies version that will go from 5 to 90 lbs with just a turn on the dial. They both essentially look almost the same and priced similarly. I also picked up a stand for them. They are actually in stock and will be on its way soon. Looking forward to how much space I’ll save as compared to buying a full rack of dumbbells, let alone the cost that would be. Will post a review of them once I get them and try them out. Here’s a pic of them with the rack. Let me know if anyone else has them and how they like them!

In other news the GOOD poster came in and is officially up on the wall. Finished painting the main side of the garage gym, so pics are coming soon. I just need to mount my barbell bracket on the wall that will hold up to 6 different types of barbells horizontally. image|457x500

 

[Bigmurph6]

I might just buy a used barbell and weld a pulley to it and I could use it on my rack and that would add the pull down ive been wanting I need to get the floor pull also for rows and such it would make things easier for me

 

[Bigmurph6]

These are beautiful mine are horrible lol

 

[Shock6050]

Yeah love the look of them. However, as I know you would agree, you may have fairly top of the line and pretty equipment, but it’s completely worthless if you don’t use them properly, regularly, and stick with your workout plan. It’s like in little league, I see 10 year olds with no prior experience swing bats that cost more than $300! All about fundamentals and learning proper technique…the bat isn’t going to help you at all without that. Same applies with home gym equipment!

 

[Shock6050]

Ever since I posted this about the pulldown cables my Facebook ads have been showing me different versions of these after about every 5 posts as I scroll down. Make it stop! I know privacy online is shrinking more and more and I bet almost all apps “talk” to each other and collect information on the users.

 

[Shock6050]

@Bigmurph. If you have a pulley system with this piece in the middle you can have both a lat pull and low row attached to the same weight source. You’ll need at least a few more wheels for the 2 cables. Top wheel is attached to the weight source in the back and lat bar in front. Bottom wheel has a separate cable that is anchored to the floor with the other end fed through another wheel on floor level for low rows. Learned a little basic cable knowledge when putting my power stack cage together.

 

[Shock6050]

Here’s a few pics of where I’m at. Waiting on Olympic plates and my dumbbells with rack. Last pic is the before pic.
image|666x500

![image|666x500](upload://eYIzHqCaj6BScxunlTbPklarWda.jp

 

[Poppy]

Nice setup

 

[Bigmurph6]

That’s a big space nice I don’t have that much space and that’s why I wasn’t able to get a real rack I have basically half a rack bench and hex bar and heavy upto 200lb dumbbells with this and my landmine and a couple other things im able to get a decent workout in but I believe if I could get a cable set-up going it would give me so many more options to pull.
I believe im going to actually buy one that is stand alone and attaches to the wall for support I choose it because it has a really small base and holds the amount of weight I need I don’t think im going to go DIY but I have before gimme a welder and a hammer and I can build anything lol

 

[Shock6050]

Yeah I love cable setups as they are so versatile allowing many different types of lifts especially if you have different attachments. I’m going to to wait for garage sale season or watch Craigslist/eBay for attachments. My neighborhood has a lot of soccer moms so I expect to find a lot of fairly new equipment that some just started and stopped using. LOL

 

[Bigmurph6]

Cables are great because its a smooth pull and you can get good form gains from the cable weights I also believe in muscle confusion being very useful and underrated.