Equipment is expensive and that sucks.

[Cheetah]

I'm just here to complain.

 

I have to buy stuff because a gym membership just won't fit in my life.  So, I got a decent cheap bench, and that's a start, and I've got enough money for a barbell and some weight plates, so that's not bad.  But there does not seem to be any way to get around needing a squat rack.  And they're stupidly expensive.

 

This is, in my opinion, not fair.  I'm all stoked to lift heavy and get strong, but I'm going to be stuck doing stupid dumbbell squats with my stupid 25lb 'bells for six stupid months while I save up for a power rack.  Stink stink stink.

 

/rant

[Defining]

Why not DIY a sandbag? Thrift shop backpack & 50lbs of play sand on your back in addition to the DBs will add some challenge.

 

You could also focus on overhead squats for a bit, they definitely require lighter weight than goblet or front BB squats! 

[Orion Antares]

Well if you're going to diy, maybe go all the way.

https://www.buffdudes.us/blogs/news/47856513-buff-dudes-diy-power-rack

 

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Garris]

How are you at diy, if you good look up the buff dudes diy rack on YouTube, about 200$

[Garris]

1 minute ago, Orion Antares said:

Well if you're going to diy, maybe go all the way.

https://www.buffdudes.us/blogs/news/47856513-buff-dudes-diy-power-rack

 

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

 

Damn you!

 

[godjira1]

actually. u can just get a barbell with plates and flooring. do front squats, OHP, cleans, snatches (ok maybe you shouldn't try this w/o coaching), and deadlifts. 

 

I didn't do bench presses for a while, and I did front squats just for heck of it. Used plates/bars will do the job.

 

Or kettlebells 12-16-20-24-28-32-36. You won't need more than that to start with, and there are people practically begging you to take it off them in the used market usually. 

[Cheetah]

18 hours ago, Defining said:

Why not DIY a sandbag? Thrift shop backpack & 50lbs of play sand on your back in addition to the DBs will add some challenge.

 

You could also focus on overhead squats for a bit, they definitely require lighter weight than goblet or front BB squats! 

 

That's a good idea.... I actually have a military duffle that I can load up with all kinds of junk...

 

15 hours ago, Orion Antares said:

Well if you're going to diy, maybe go all the way.

https://www.buffdudes.us/blogs/news/47856513-buff-dudes-diy-power-rack

 

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

15 hours ago, Garris said:

How are you at diy, if you good look up the buff dudes diy rack on YouTube, about 200$

 

Ya, I saw that one, but I think for just a little more than that I can get a Titan rack, especially if I stay on Craigslist and score something used.  I can do the wood working, but my time is pretty limited, so it might take me less time to save up than to build something.

 

6 hours ago, godjira1 said:

actually. u can just get a barbell with plates and flooring. do front squats, OHP, cleans, snatches (ok maybe you shouldn't try this w/o coaching), and deadlifts. 

 

I didn't do bench presses for a while, and I did front squats just for heck of it. Used plates/bars will do the job.

 

Or kettlebells 12-16-20-24-28-32-36. You won't need more than that to start with, and there are people practically begging you to take it off them in the used market usually. 

 

Olympic lifting scares me.  I have seen a vid of a guy with a barbell on the floor that he pops up onto his chest, and then up over his head onto his back.  I just don't have the coordination yet to attempt something like that.

 

I am going to look into used gear; there's a Play It Again Sports near by, so I might get a lucky score there or on Craigslist.  In any case, I'm definitely going to soldier on with what I've got, and make the best of it.  

 

Thanks everyone, for the suggestions!  NF Rocks!

[Juni0r83]

Check out a rogue yoke. They're good enough I'm tempted to get one even though I have to deal with shipping from the US.

 

Also, a squat stand is stupidly cheap for an entry point.

[Stonefist]

What I did was simply to do front squats until they exceeded my power cleans. By that time, I had managed to diy my first squat rack. The good part about it, is my front squat is still not that far off my regular squat.

[jcreason]

Keep scouring craigslist, one will pop up there eventually. 

 

Additionally, you can get a set of squat stands much cheaper than a full rack.  If you want safety pins (which is always a good idea) use a set of heavy-duty saw horses.

[Cheetah]

2 hours ago, jcreason said:

Keep scouring craigslist, one will pop up there eventually. 

 

Additionally, you can get a set of squat stands much cheaper than a full rack.  If you want safety pins (which is always a good idea) use a set of heavy-duty saw horses.

 

I did see the squat stands on a couple of sites.  They didn't look very sturdy to me.  Do they work okay?

 

 

I saw a marcy power rack and bench on CL for 250, which I think would be a really good buy, except that I don't have 250.  More's the pity.  Guess I'll just have to save up!

[jcreason]

I used a cheap set of stands for a while and they worked fine.  Granted, at the time my work sets were generally at, or below, 300.  If I were squatting 4-500 they would likely be a bit wobbly.  I can't remember exactly, but I don't think they went low enough to bench out of them, so if that's something you're looking for you might want to research them closely.

 

Before I got the stands I actually just used those saw horses and did all my squats starting from the bottom.

[Juni0r83]

My thoughts always were:

 

Just bolt the damn things down and even if they "would" be a little wobbly, they won't be then. Only real risk left is exceeding the absolute maximum weight that the frame can hold.

 

I was actually thinking for a relatively cheap home setup I would get a sheet of plywood, basically turn it into a makeshift platform and use brackets to permanently fix a squat stand to one side of it. If I also pick up at least one pair of 20kg bumpers, I don't have to worry about dropping the weight on the platform and can get away without some sort of safeties, just need to make sure I bail correctly.

[EdwardGillian]

A diy sandbag is a good idea, but can't you shop around for a used squat rack, there has to be somebody selling them in a garage sale

[AngelaTheGeek]

If you're just looking for a basic, inexpensive squat rack, I bought this one off Amazon: Squat Rack (500 lb capacity) I paid about $130 after shipping + tax.It has a 500lb capacity, and it's adjustable. I use it in my garage gym all the time, and have had 150kg on it with no issues.

[Cheetah]

Ya, at this point I've resigned myself to saving up the money for a power rack.  It will be best in the long run, because then I'll have safety pins for when my bench gets heavier, too.  Since I work out alone, that's a big deal.

 

I've got my eye on this one  https://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/t-2-racks/short-power-rack.html

It's not unreasonably expensive, so I can be patient enough to save for it.  And I'll also keep an eye on craigslist, just in case something good comes up for cheap.

[QuietRiotGrrrl]

I got this stand off Amazon.  It's got spots for benching and the height is adjustable.  It was 115 at the time (80 + S&H 35).

[OptimusPrime69]

You can switch to kettlebells. They're pretty minimalist as far as equipment goes. 

[Cheetah]

I ordered the power rack.  Problem solved, thanks everyone for your help!

 

[Echoceanic]

I am in a pickle like this too now. I am just out of the range that my own body weight can provide for leg stuff, and I can't even find a damn kettlebell that doesn't break the bank (not from the US so the exchange rate kills me). And where the heck do I find enough sand to make my own? I have to figure out if I can use a backpack - I do have a ton of books at home.

[Jiffy]

I recently moved and now have a pretty significant commute so I'm not getting as much gym time as I was getting before (6-8 spin classes a week that were preceded by lifting with some doubles down to two spin classes  a week).  I went from living in a two bedroom townhome two miles from the office to a much bigger place with a fenced in yard that is 20 miles away.  It's more convenient with the kids' schools and much much better for my dog.  So I decided to build a home setup so I could workout at home, wanted to get away from primarily doing cardio to doing more power lifting as I got my weight down to where I want it (~200 at 6'4).  I am not super concerned about the number but getting my bodyfat down was important.  Right now I'm about 20% which is fine, if I can hang out around there or cut a little that's great but I won't be concerned about being heavier on the scale as long as the percentage is close to that.

For right at $500 I now have a setup in my garage that is working very well for me.  I have the safety bars in the squat rack set low enough that they can act as safety bars for the bench.  If I don't have my back arched for the bench press I can rest the barbell on the safety bars.  This gives me the confidence to lift heavy when I am alone, which is most of the time.  I have my teenagers (a boy and a girl) join me sometimes but they don't work out as much as I do, plus I try not to push them too much with this stuff.  I want them to enjoy it, not look at it as a chore.  I'm thinking about getting another pair of the smaller bar rest/spot things so I can leave one up high for squat position and one lower for bench position.  Right now I move them between sets which sucks for any sort of supersets.
 

Adjustable Bench - $70 shipped - It's a cheap bench.  I liked it because I could do incline and decline but I really don't like the split seat as I have to slide down over and over to keep my butt out of the gap. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJ2PL26/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I also picked up a $25 weight belt from Dicks and some cheap $10 barbell clamps from Amazon, the weight set came with spring clamps but I had trouble getting them on the bar.

 

300lb Olympic Weight Set - $200 local pickup - This is very affordable and I think it's pretty great for what you get.  I'm currently squatting and deadlifting 200 so I have some room to grow.  I don't do any olympic style lifting (clean and jerk) so I don't drop the bar.  If you are someone that wants to drop a bar you should probably get a better bar.  I drive a GTI and was able to get it home because the bar, which is 7' long, fit between the seats without blocking the gear shifter.  https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb?Product=ProductSuggest

 

Squat Rack/Cage - $200 shipped from Amazon - This was affordable and it was pretty easy to put together and feels very solid.  I think it's pretty much the perfect price/performance range.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Soozier-Ultimate-Strength-Training-Power-Lifting-Cage-Squat-Rack/131208487?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=242&adid=22222222227057679442&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=161620322847&wl4=pla-461262794112&wl5=9009970&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=111839932&wl11=online&wl12=131208487&wl13=&veh=sem


 

[james452]

I wish I had my own home gym. The price isn't the issue, it's that my girlfriend and I currently rent and there isn't anywhere we can safely set it up (unless we want huge holes in the floor or for our equipment to rust outside in the rain).

 

Awesome to see you got the power rack. Have you purchased anything else for your home gym? The way I see it, the two most important things to buy that are high quality are the squat rack (which will stop you from dying), and a barbell. Save money for those, spend less on the other things (unless you plan on dropping your weights, then get bumper plates)

[Grumble]

On 9/4/2017 at 9:10 AM, Echocheanic said:

I am in a pickle like this too now. I am just out of the range that my own body weight can provide for leg stuff, and I can't even find a damn kettlebell that doesn't break the bank (not from the US so the exchange rate kills me). And where the heck do I find enough sand to make my own? I have to figure out if I can use a backpack - I do have a ton of books at home.

 

Unless you're killing it there's always more bodyweight stuff you can do for your legs. I assume you are doing plenty of bodyweight squats. You can also add pistol squats, box jumps (stairs, porches, etc. anything you can go up on.

 

That being said, backpacks full of stuff are great. Make sure they are strapped close to your back or you risk injury when the weight eventually pendulums.

[Echoceanic]

2 hours ago, Grumble said:

Unless you're killing it there's always more bodyweight stuff you can do for your legs. I assume you are doing plenty of bodyweight squats. You can also add pistol squats, box jumps (stairs, porches, etc. anything you can go up on.

 

 

I wound up using water jugs with front squats because I fall on my butt when I try and do pistol squats (I have very poor balance in general). But yeah when I get better at it I will try and do those too.  

[Grumble]

19 minutes ago, Echocheanic said:

 

I wound up using water jugs with front squats because I fall on my butt when I try and do pistol squats (I have very poor balance in general). But yeah when I get better at it I will try and do those too.  

 

I can't pistol squat unaided if my life was on the line, but even aided they become a bitch and a half after a few reps.