(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best strenght training equipment

>Sorry to bother you

Don't be, I like trying to help.

The important thing is to go in with a plan- head over to /r/fitness, and read the FAQ. I think it's that one which is based on SS (starting strength), an entry level lifting program. /r/weightroom is also good, but tends to be more powerlifters and higher level strength training. /r/fitness also has a lot of posts by people in your situation, and people with better understandings than I commenting on what to do.

So, once you've got a plan, gym membership. Gyms make money from you, so have an incentive to help you join, and show you around. They might offer you help getting started, and if it's free, say yes. You have nothing to lose by accepting free stuff.

When you go to the gym, you might want to write down what you're doing that day- my schedule is a bit messy, but it basically follows a push/pull split- one day I will do push exercises
( bench press, flies,
tricep dips,
squats,
overhead press ),
and on another day, I'll do pulling exercises (
deadlift- form is very important,
pull-ups,
chin ups,
bent over dumbbell row,
deltoid flies,
bicep curls (or as r/fitness would say, bicep charles) ), and I do 5 sets of 5 reps on each of these exercises. I would recommend starting at a weight that is not too hard, and focusing on getting your form perfect. For pull ups and chin ups (I've probably got them the wrong way round- 50/50 chance), then make sure to go down until your arms are perfectly straight, then up until the bar is at chest height, and pause at the top and bottom. Don't worry that you can't do many, or even if you can't do any, just keep trying until you can. One of the best investments I have made was a pull up bar,
which I just use at home every evening, and most mornings. The key to getting good at pull ups is do them lots.

Once you're in the gym, focus on doing your exercises, be methodical, and don't do all 5 sets at once, alternate between 2 or 3 different ones.



If you have any more questions, fire away!

Oh, also, I asked /r/weightroom a very similar question to yours a while ago, and got a very positive response, so here it is.

Edit: Most people who do push/pull actually do push/pull/legs- I'm training for kayaking, and cycle lots, so don't do legs much. However, leg day might be cleans- not recommended until you're proficient at squats and deadlifts, lunges,
calf raises- personally, I think it's a bit of a waste of time to work calves, just cycle!
And there are another couple of exercises that people do for legs, but I can't remember them! If you're not training for anything, then don't neglect your legs.

Also, I'd recommend you take a couple of photos of yourself before you start, topless if you can bear it, from the front and side, and keep them, so in a year's time, you can look back and say "damn, that's really been worth it!" because gains are slow!

You sound like a motivated individual. I'm currently training for a future 18X contract as well. Anyone please feel free to chime in, but this is what I can tell you;

• When enlisting as 18X, The actual MOS you get if/when you get selected is determined by the cadre and what the see you doing best, and their current needs. Now I don't think you can get guaranteed 18D, but I am sure with your prior EMT experience and as long as you show expressed interest in it, You'll probably get it. But I can totally be wrong about that, that's something to talk to a recruiter about.
  
  
• Not sure if you can get 68W if you VW or get injured along the 18X route. I know you get placed in 11B or 11C normally so I am not sure if it would be easy to get into 68W. Again, ask your local recruiter.
  
  Training:
  
  Pick up this book: Get Selected - http://www.amazon.com/Get-Selected-Special-Forces-Successfully/dp/0975355279/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333966100&sr=8-1
  
  It offers priceless (and proven) advice to getting selected, how to train, tricks and tips for toughening feet you name it.
  
  
  But basically (I have a running checklist, I'll give you some off the top of my head);
  
  
• Ruck, ruck, ruck. Work your way up, don't try to be superman and do a ton of weight/distance off the get go - injuries will only set you back like crazy. Get a weighted vest, or put bricks/rocks/weights in a backpack. Go for distance and speed, try to maintain 13-15min miles for 10-16 miles, with 50-75lbs -- don't go higher then 75/80, again; you don't want injuries. (that should be your final goals). I have this weighted vest if you're interested in one, it does the job! http://www.amazon.com/Weekly-Sale-ZFO-40LBS-Adjustable-INCLUDED-One/dp/B002P60ZZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333966980&sr=8-1 - I also wear a backpack over it for dry socks, water, protein bar, and i'm starting to add weight in it as well. Works well, nice tight/proportionate weight.
  
  
• Run of course. Through the 18Xray route, you have to go through Basic/AIT of course and Airborne school, both of which you'll be running a lot. And of course you'll be running in SFAS as well. Get comfortable with running 3-5+miles before basic if possible at decent times. You'll get time to practice and improve no doubt but if you're anything like me you want to ace that off the bat.
  
  
• It wouldn't hurt to get a feel for Land Nav techniques, just the basics, plotting points; and get use to different, rough terrain. Ruck around in the desert/hills/whatever with a friend.
  
  
• For eating and related, see /r/fitness
  
  
• 111221 profile - I have no idea what defines a 111221 profile but it's straightforward enough. If you get the 18x contract and you pass all the PT and make it past Airborne and get to SFAS and keep up without having a major fuckup (getting booted), VW'ing, getting injured, and actually getting selected (You can make it entirely through the 2 weeks and still not get selected if they don't see you as fit for SF).
  
  
• Lifting heavy weights/benching/etc is much much less important then overall endurance for rucking and running, mixed with the right mental attitude/capacity, a little bit of luck, and a lot of dedication. Convince yourself that you're not leaving unless you're in a cast or dead.
  
  
  You have two years to train? That's plenty if you use it wisely and actually dedicate your time and effort towards your future career.
  
  
  Good luck if you decide to pursue enlisting!
  
  
  For tons of information from current/past SF, see www.ProfessionalSoldiers.com - Do yourself a favor and just lurk though, they are not nice to new users and will gladly tear you a new one.

Alright well I've looked up some stuff, your going to want a power cage with olympic weights and a bench at the bare minimum.

Some stuff I've found about $950 before shippping:
cage 390: https://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/t-3-racks/titan-t-3-series-short-power-rack-36-deep.html
Titan cages aren't as nice as rogue, but they are still very nice cages that has a wide variety of attachments you can have. Since your on a somewhat limited budget and this will save you $400


weights/bar 190: https://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-300-lb-Olympic-Set-Includes-7-Bar/27137654?u1=V1c5ZTFRb0tNcXdBQVNnclhqWUFBQUND&oid=368707.1&wmlspartner=NKa3hZyYoHA&sourceid=32308939332914019695&affillinktype=10&veh=aff
This is a very cheap set, but this will get you some starter weights and a starter bar. Since your a complete beginner, this bar should be fine for a while. Most bars will bend before they break so you'll know when you need to replace it, but probably around a 315 squat or deadlift.

bench incline/decline 300: https://www.amazon.com/Rep-Adjustable-Bench-Capacity-Incline/dp/B00YNS7D9G/ref=sr_1_17?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1500496016&sr=1-17&keywords=adjustable+bench
I don't know a lot about this bench, but I like it because it has a high weight capacity and it is incline and decline. This will give you a much wider range of stuff to do vs a flat or just an incline bench.

landmine attachemnt for cage 30: https://www.titan.fitness/landmine-rack-attachment.html
A landmine is super nice for rows and I even use it for shoulders

adjustable dumbbells 41: https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Solid-20-Inch-Dumbbell-Handle/dp/B0010YOBB4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500496213&sr=8-1&keywords=adjustable+olympic+dumbbells
Adjustable dumbbells, more inconvenient than individual weights or the quick change sets, but this gives you a lot of flexibility for very cheap and you can re use the weights you already have.



EDIT:

Since I'm still about 800 short I'l throw some more suggestions:

Maybe upgrade the bar - this way you don't need to worry about it bending on you or you growing out of it while your in college. The rogue bars are suggested a lot on here because they are good quality for their price. They should hold up for a very very long time and be a nice bar. When looking for a bar, the only thing you really need to look at is weight capacity and the knurling (groves in the bar for grip). You probably want center knurling for your squats. There are other factors with bars like the amount of whip, how much the collars spin and such but you'll pretty much want a good quality general purpose bar.
$275
http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-ohio-power-bar


Lat pulldown / cable row machine $200
https://www.amazon.com/Akonza-Machine-Fitness-Attachment-Pulldown/dp/B01FYLE7OY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500497021&sr=8-1&keywords=cable+pulldown+machine
I know nothing about this particular machine, but it looks like it has decent reviews. This will allow you to do rows and pull downs.

You may want to build a platform for your cage, you'll want to do this with plywood and horsestall mats so that you can do deadlifts without breaking your floor. This will probably run you 300, probably less, but lets go with 300.

I started with about the same budget as you. This is what I did (minus the flooring because I'm in the garage and just threw down mats).

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubber-mat-black-4-ft-x-6-ft?cm_vc=-10005 6 horse stall mats - 35 bucks a piece. $220

http://www.titan.fitness/short-power-rack.html - Titan short rack, because of the clearance thing. I wish I would have gotten the taller one so I could OHP in it, but it's not a big deal. $269

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/body-power-deluxe-multifunctional-power-tower?repChildCatid=3077414 Power tower, on sale still. $129

http://www.ironmaster.com/products/quick-lock-dumbbell-system-75 - Ironmaster dumbbells - best purchase ever. $499

Found 205lbs of rogue bumper plates, and a flat bench on craiglist for $300 Had another 175lbs of bumper plates previously. If you don't want bumper plates you can find metal plates for much cheaper on craigslist.

That had me at about $1600 after taxes. I also got a Xebex rower/decline bench/med ball from GetRXd on a special for $800 but that was bought because it was a great deal. Awesome rower btw.

If you want a good incline bench instead of flat, go with the ironmaster one. It's $299 I believe and very solid. Ironmaster dumbbells are way, way better than the Bowflex ones. They're solid metal. I toss them around and they're fine. They also don't rattle.

I also got the Cap bar from amazon for $160. Awesome 1000lb rated bar. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R4EOXM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001K4OPY2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=044DMW43KCXP3YXFA73M

Well, I don't think there's going to be much in that price range, and for under $200 new that's not a bad bench. It will only take you so far, but realistically so far is 3 plates and a 315 squat is getting to intermediate strength levels for most.

Besides the weight capacity, though, it may not be the most confidence inspiring setup depending on your lifting routine. At least that one has some safeties for benching, but if you get stuck on a squat you'll have to drop it to the floor.

My olympic bench is this one: http://images.owneriq.net/download/images/9/9cc6e7af-d8d0-4bff-8f66-c53b93aa0f2f-000001.png

It was pretty awkward to squat off of, the bench gets in the way of setting up to unrack, it slid when I reracked, and with the small catches you have to pay attention and not miss while reracking.

I don't know your budget but it may be a better idea to get a rack and bench. Depends on your longer term plans/goals, but that would give you a safe setup to lift hundreds of pounds in. I ended up getting a Rogue S-1 with safety bars and the adidas flat bench I link below.

A new power rack can be had for $300-ish (http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html), and a flat bench for under $100 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JJM38S) or incline/decline for under $300, cheap 300 lbs bar and plate set for $200 (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10793623).

Less if you get used. Scouring Craigslist lands some good deals but you can't always get what you want right away. Bar and plate sets are quite common. Should be able to find a decent 300 lbs set with a weight tree for $150. If you've got at least 8 feet height for a rack it shouldn't be hard to find used ones.

There's also nicer benches, like this one you can add accessories to: http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/95003.html

Hello there.

To gain muscle mass, you must elicit a hypertrophic response from your muscles. This can be done in a lot of ways. Typically, this is done using weights but there are other methods. With body weight exercise it is definitely possible and a lot of people get success with it.

The basic idea you want to always keep in mind is balance. You want to keep your muscles balanced by doing exercises that work one set of muscles and then exercises that work the "opposite" set. This is done to prevent muscular imbalances that will most definitely lead to pain and injury. For example, push ups go with inverted rows, squats go with step ups.

Next up is the idea of progression. Eventually, the exercises start to get too easy and you aren't getting as much out of it as you could be. "Progressing" allows you to make the exercise more difficult for the same muscles or focus different muscles. Two decent videos showing the idea with the upper body are: one, two.

The equipment that you need to do body weight exercise at home is pretty simple. You need a chin up bar and a dip bar. The dip bar works for both dips and inverted rows and various progressions and so I would say it's needed. This dip bar is the one I'd personally recommend. Very portable and doesn't require any tools to assemble.

As far as nutrition goes, I'd say a healthy balanced diet is all you really need. Perhaps up your calorie intake by a couple hundred or so when you hit a plateau, but I wouldn't say to go too crazy with it.

In terms of supplements, I'd say they aren't 100% required. However, I do take a 1 serving whey isolate shake with water after every workout to aid in a speedy recovery. I find it helps, but not everyone does.

My parting words are to work the core and lower back a lot. A strong core and lower back will make you able to progress much easier and will make you feel a lot better and stronger as well as prevent injury. Take it easy and make sure it's safe.

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness expert. Just a butt load of fitness/nutrition classes as well as a lot of experience having my ass grinded into the dirt by various military fitness instructors(civilians with degrees and experience) and group PT sessions(ran by godlike sergeants and young officers). All anecdotal evidence and personal experience used, proceed with caution.

I can't agree more with your gym sentiments. Walking through a sea of resting bitch faces at the gym just to see that two people were already waiting for the squat rack tended to ruin my somewhat fragile motivation.

I would recommend against the FT2, having an enforced straight up and down bar path will not help your form and will make your workout less effective for your core/stabilizing muscles. If you're thinking you want something safe for home workouts alone, you can still do that with a free weight barbell setup, spotter arms are wonderful thing.

I haven't tried that many options, but I can tell you what is working for me. I got the titan T3 squat rack and I love it. I highly recommend the spotter arms, I try for bench personal records all the time by myself and I've never had issues when I failed. This rack is stable enough for pull ups but you don't have to screw it to the floor to install. I did have to take off both the weight storage arms so that the plates on the storage arms didn't impede my bench press. http://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/squat-rack.html

For the barbell I got the CAP OB-86B, it's reasonably priced and I'm not doing anything too fancy with the olympic lifts. I expect to get another, better bar and keep it as a beater bar eventually. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K4OPY2

My plates are a mix, I recommend getting some bumper plates off craigslist or a local shop to get started then adding bumper and iron plates as needed. Another option is to get the $300 iron set from Dick's as a starting set, but from what I've heard the bar is fit only to trash/resell. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lb-olympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb

For bench I'd recommend getting something strong and adjustable. I got the flat Adidas bench and it's fine, though I now want an adjustable bench so I can do incline/decline. https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8

Appropriate flooring, resistence bands, and dumbbells are also incredibly helpful.

I would save up for better main equipment. Skip the adjustable dumbells to start and put it towards a better rack/bench. If you get dumbells later do not buy bowflex. powerblocks and ironmaster are the only quick adjust dumbells worth anything and otherwise would just get some spinlock adjustable dumbells if they are too pricey.

The problem with that valor fitness rack is it is way too cramped and the designers didn't know what they are doing (just look at the demo video)- it is impossible to fit a bench inside that rack since the weight tower/pulley and bottom crossmember is in the way no matter which way you face so you are forced to bench outside, not to mention the weight tower uses 1" pins instead of 2" olympic pins so it is just shoddy with oly weights anyway. would try to find a rack that has tighter hole spacing on the pins- at least 2" holes on center. a weight tower can be nice but it needs to be offset from the back of the rack so it is actually useable. find a quality rack first that works good as a rack then grab a cheap pulldown on craigslist later or something.

The bench is iffy- most cheap (and even nice commercial) adjustable benches tend to not be very good to setup on for flat benching since the butt piece gets in the way and the pads are at different heights with gaps making it very difficult to get a good proper flat bench setup on. cheaper adjustable benches are fine for incline work but I would get a dedicated quality proper flat bench in addition.

I'm a big fan of the CAP OB86 series bars for the money- I would just suggest picking up the PBCK variant instead that has the center knurl for squats though.

for flooring look at either stall mats or 3/8" rolled rubber for gym flooring. good rolled rubber is a lot more expensive but looks a bit cleaner and has less smell. stall mats are cheap and thick and great- only issue is they can smell pretty strong at first and are heavy and a bit cumbersome to do a whole gym in- if you do go for stall mats if you leave them outside in the sun for a couple weeks they won't smell when you bring them inside.

Hey Keith! welcome! i just started/discovered BWF last week (5'10" 230 pounds), i was at my heaviest at 262 pounds with 30% bodyfat. I have a few tips from my very limited experience, but since it has to do with starting, i feel qualified. Most of the exercises on the simple beginner routine you can do without any equipment, actually, everything but the pulling exercises. And since you are just starting, a door jam works great for vertical rows, and so until you actually need to progress to incline rows, you wont need anything. I recently invested in a pullup/dip station since i also didnt have anywhere to do exercises. I had to throw some heavy bags of wheat on the foot supports so it wouldnt topple under my weight, but besides that its been working great.

I'm also counting calories, working out 3 times a week and doing my best to lose my fat. Good luck, you're not alone!

Couple of things.

• I often don't eat enough. Used to be fat, don't want to be again. Heck, I'm not exactly skinny now, no showing abs and still some lovehandles. But I kind of need those calories. Without them my lifts stall or I injure myself.
  
  
• T2 Diabetes. Recovery sucks for me, I heal slowly, and it's a lot easier for me to strain something and be out of commission for days, if not weeks. This has improved though since I started supplementing with celery seed for potassium, and creatine.
  
  
• I probably don't sleep enough. Maybe 6.5 - 7 hours a night. That's just normal for me though. I often wake up naturally after about 7 hours of sleep. Plus, let's face it, life can be busy, and something's gotta give.
  
  
• Laziness with calorie counting/macro management. As a diabetic, I have enough work on my plate managing my blood sugar and energy levels. I should be counting calories and ensuring I reach my macros, but I honestly have no clue. I just eat a high protein/low carb diet and kind of wing it.
  
  
• Not owning a squat rack, and not willing to pay for a gym membership. Limits how much I can back squat right now, and I'm just doing variations, like last night it was hack squat, and clean to front squats. Will hopefully change that in the near future by buying one of these. Main issue I haven't gotten a rack is because my apartment is small, but that should fit in a corner when not in use.
  
  With all the above, I'm practically the poster child of what not to do. All this said though, I'm still getting it done. Not just sitting on my ass doing nothing, so I got that going for me. I'm in good health, pretty fit now, and happy with myself, which is way more than I could say two years ago. So I guess I've met my goals, and now I need new ones. :)

You don't expect to lift more than 250lbs? You wholly underestimate your strength. You should be able to pull more than that on a deadlift before you max out on SL 5x5.

IF you really want to stick with lifting and not just a program but being dedicated to lifting regularly, then buy quality. Being thrifty doesn't mean buying cheap. It means getting the most out of what you spend, and good quality stuff will last you a lifetime.

Titan racks are great value, If you can't bolt the T-3 to the floor or a platform, look into getting the free standing T-3 Squat Stand with spotter arms. The T-2 cage isn't as heavy duty but still more than enough for most people.

There are other options but Titan's a good value.

As far as bars, get the CAP-OB86 which is a highly regarded barbell for it's price whihc regularly goes on sale for as low as 100 dollars.

As far as plates go, buy used if your local area has a good craigslist base. Get mostly 45s with a pair of 25s and 10s

Buy the Adidas flat bench which is a cheap but sturdy option to the more beefier $150+ dollar options

It is a good idea to compromise and do both.

​

Day 1: Upper body

Day 2: Lower Body

Day 3: Relax/Stretch/Light Cardio

Day 4: Upper Body

Day 5: Lower Body

Day 6: Relax/Stretch/Light Cardio

Day 7: Stretch/ cardio

​

It is easy to burn out if you only focus on one, like I would get extremely bored of doing just cardio. Honestly, for cardio I highly recommend sports because its a great way to socialize while getting in shape. Alternatively, pick up swimming since it also works really great without putting strain on your joints.

​

If your wrists are hurting from pushups, buy a pushup bar. Something similar to this (though probably not as expensive). Or if you have a place to hang some rings, get yourself some gymnastic rings since they are probably going to be your best investment if you are truly interested in doing bwf.

​

If your knees are hurting from squats, I HIGHLY recommend that you get it checked to make sure you are okay and get someone to check your form is correct. Since you said you are doing jump squats, I would recommend staying away from those or atleast finding a softer surface (sand if possible since it is so much harder yet it does not tax your knees a lot). Again I recommend not doing squats until your knees stop hurting or consult w/ a physician first (basing this off needing a shoulder surgery in the past from pushing though the pain and I may need one for my knee in the future).

​

Make a good routine that focuses on every party of your body (i didn't read anything about back workouts in your post) .

​

Lastly, experiment a little bit. If planks are too difficult, find other workouts that might be easier while still being challenging. Try to do some very simple workouts that help for progression towards something you want to do in the future.

I got the Titan HD rack and love it. I won an auction on eBay for it for $326; they run one at a time, it seems, so you might want to see if you can save some dough that way. Some are listed w/dip bars included.

What about the adidas flat bench? Solid weight limit, gets great reviews for sturdiness. You can get an adjustable later; do you even need it for 5x5?

I also just snagged a CAP OB-86B barbell and man, that thing is nice. I would definitely spend the $142 on it.

I have gotten all my Oly weight plates on craigslist for cheap so you might find that works for you to save some money.

Have fun!

I bought a cheap vest for like 60$ (https://www.amazon.com/ZFOsports-40LBs-Adjustable-Weighted-Vest/dp/B002P60ZZC/) a year+ ago and wore it a few times to CF WODs and running at home in prep for Murph. After wearing it a few times, I noticed it was just very uncomfortable (I'm a small guy) and it was bouncing around too much. I tightened it as tight as possible and I just couldn't get it to feel right (too much bouncing which lead to burns/bruises from the straps on my shoulders). This same vest is sold under a dozen different companies/names/logos, so you should be able to find it. It uses sand-like bags as the weights. I sold this one to a friend at the gym when I got my new vest...

A couple of the people at my gym used another vest from Hyper (https://www.onnit.com/hyper-vest-pro/). So I checked theirs out at the gym and immediately purchased one for me. It was 3-4x as expensive, but man, it's like night-and-day difference. Super comfortable. The sizing works great for me. I can run all day wearing this vest. I used this during our Thanksgiving Day Murph and loved wearing the vest (didn't love the extra weight during push-ups but just because I suck at push-ups). In prep for Murph, I ran a mile per day for 30 days wearing the vest and I fell in love with the vest.

An unintended beauty I found with building a home gym is that because of budget restraints for most of us, you're often forced to boil down your routine into the basics early on. To me that's a wonderful thing. I've been a far more productive lifter focusing on more basic lifts and forgetting about all the ancillary isolation exercises. Granted, your lifting routine doesn't seem to get cute with the iso work. So I guess my point is, get what you need for the big lifts now. You can figure out alternatives to your complimentary lifts with what you have. For example, using different pull up grips, or using inexpensive bands as support in your pullups if you need to go high reps (in place of lat pulldowns) are possibilities.

In time, you'll get pieces here and there to add further variety. Many of these gyms you see here have evolved over time. Be patient, you'll be accumulating complimentary pieces in no time.

My advice is to put money in:

• a decent rack that has a lot of supporting accessories (Titan is a good brand for this)
  
  
• a sturdy bench (I like my Rep Fitness adjustable bench)
  
  
• some horse stall mats - I personally think a platform may not be necessary unless you're doing olympic lifts, and dropping from up high. I've deadlifted 500+ on 3/4" horse stall mats alone, with no damage to the concrete beneath.
  
  
• Dick's runs great deals for 300 lbs olympic weight sets (I've seen as low as $179). The bars that come with this are crap, but could last you 6 months if you're not going to heavy or beating on it until you get a good bar. Some people have been able to flip the bar immediately for money on Letgo or Craigslist.
  
  
• Solid barbell... look for deals, I got this one for $80 after some weird instant rebate on Amazon last July. It was posted in this forum. There's plenty of good barbells out there, just a little research should land you a decent one.
  
• Landmine - Best bang for the buck in my gym. I got one like this for ~$23 around the holidays. You can add a ton of variety to your workout. Just google 'landmine exercises'. You can put that cheap bar that came with the Dicks' set in there.

Wow, thanks, this bar looks awesome! I'd just gone with the one recommended in the FAQ, but this is even better!

What do you think of this bench? It costs $150 + $15ish for tax/shipping/etc. Though it says it's rated for 300lbs on Amazon, the company site says 600, and it's been tested for up to 1000. Also, it has plenty of reviews so I'm pretty confident about it. Just wanted to see if you got a better deal :)

Yeah 1kg is definitely too light. Adjustable dumbbells are going to be your best bet. For a really inexpensive option, these are probably your best bet. You could add or remove as much weight as you need with these and if he ever needs to go heavier then you could probably just buy more plates anyway (if you do this, make sure you get the right plates for it, I think these come with 1" holes but I'm not entirely sure). As they come, both dumbbells fully loaded add up to a total of 105 lbs (~47.5 kg) and they bring plates in increments of 1.25 lbs, 2.5 lbs, and 5 lbs, so for starting off light he'll have several options.

If the price isn't much of an issue, then the Powerblock is probably a good option as well. I have absolutely no experience with these myself, but the when I was searching for adjustable dumbbells myself I saw the powerblock recommended several times.

Anyway, if you don't like either of the options I sugggested, then just search up "adjustable dumbbell" on your own and find something you think he'd like. Also, getting a pull up bar in addition to the dumbbells is probably a good idea as others have mentioned, they're fairly inexpensive and pull ups are a great exercise. Last thing, if he wants to get serious about fitness and weightlifting then I'd suggest pointing him toward the FAQ here since it has loads of information, and even a dumbbell stopgap routine so he'll know what exercises to do besides curls. Hope this helps!

TLDR: Search up "adjustable dumbbell" and "powerblock", decide what you can afford, show him the FAQ and the sidebar here.

EDIT: Added info about FAQ and sidebar

I would suggest building a platform for deadlifts - my top sets right now are around 330, I don't drop the weight and use bumpers and I don't feel like the stall mats are gonna be enough for too long.

I don't see a weight limit on that bench, but most of the Marcy ones I have seen are pretty low, like 300-500 lbs. If you're gonna be deadlifting 500 I assume you're gonna be benching at least half that, added to your bodyweight will probably exceed the weight limit, especially under a dynamic load.

Instead of the bench and rack you have chosen, I'd spend a little more and get something like this rack and maybe the Titan fitness flat bench, which has a 1000lb limit.

And the link for the Olympic bar you posted doesn't work.

Edit: that fitness reality cage has an option with a bench too, that might be a good way to go too because it's adjustable and I think it has a pretty high limit.

UK links here but I've just bought this one, and it's great.

The main advantage of this one is that the bar is much higher than the ones that hang down from the door frame, like this.

I found I was almost kneeling on the floor with the latter type and they feel a bit unsteady sometimes. Having said that, the only time it fell off was when I forgot it was there and headbutted it off the door. I've headbutted the new one once and it fucking hurt, but the bar stayed up.

It's sturdy as well so you could probably bludgeon someone quite effectively if you needed to defend your property, which is great because bludgeoning isn't really covered in the RR and it's a wonderful all round workout.

I know it doesn't look like it would be a good workout, but I have one of [these] (https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-InMotion-Compact-Strider-Cords/dp/B00BDMH10Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1485813098&sr=1-1&keywords=mini+elliptical+with+bands) in my office and you'd be shocked at how good of a workout it is! I got mine for under $100 from Dick's, with a coupon and free shipping.

You could also get on craigslist or local classifieds and see if anyone is selling a stationary bike for cheap. They don't take up a lot of space. Also, a good set of weights is great for HIIT. (I have this power block that i love, but it's a bit pricey.)

I've done relatively long-distance runs (3-6 miles) with weighted vests (20-40 lbs) and yeah, you need to be mindful of your body telling you to stop. IMHO I felt like the strain wasn't worth the gain. I use this for heavy walks and this for everyday. I hardly ever try sprinting but with all exercises, I'd try it body-weight-only until I was comfortable before weighting up.

Maybe more importantly: What kind of goal are you shooting for that you think adding weight is the right thing to do? If you're looking for leg strength, lift weights or do squats. Losing weight is so much easier by managing your food rather than exercising more. Getting "better" at running could mean go longer distances, running faster or just making it a more healthy habit...Not sure adding weights while running will help in all those areas :)

I am a big fan of the Ohio Power bar, and I went ahead and picked up one from the USA. you're right, its $$$$ but IMO worth the money.

if you are looking for a cheaper "Canadian" alternative you could try this bar http://www.strongarmsport.com/product-p/bar-bos.htm it's from Bells of Steel and has great reviews. This is their last gen bar, but reviews are saying its better than their "new and improved" version. its comes in at $370 shipping and taxes inc. the Rogue bar comes in at $390 shipped so its a no brainer to go with the OPB.

the only other option I found to be cheaper was the Cap Power Bar from Amazon (Free ship with Prime) https://www.amazon.ca/Cap-Barbell-Weight-Lifting-Olympic/dp/B006R4EOXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520517760&sr=8-1&keywords=ob86pbck

currently at $193 ($218 taxes in and free ship) is your cheapest option for a decently reviewed power bar. http://capbarbell.com/1500lb-solid-power-squat-bar-with-central-knurling/

Haven't seen this suggested yet, but consider doing P90X. All you need is some dumbells, an exercise mat (or your carpet), and a pullup bar.

You can get some cool dynamic weight dumbells to save space, although they are a bit expensive.

This pullup bar can be used on most door frames.

P90X gets some flack but it's great for improving overall fitness.

Obligatory: I'm not a doctor, ask a professional blah blah blah...

Here are some ideas of the top of my head:

• Try using " weight lifting hooks " http://www.amazon.com/Power-Weight-Lifting-Hooks-Weightlifting/dp/B00DVM34NO
  
  
• try some exercises using a " Zercher Grip " ... These are great for overall strength and core strength, but probably won't hit your arms and forearms as much as you'd like... ( they may work your biceps a bit )
  
  
• Research some rock climbing exercises, Rock climbers often try to build strength for situations where they can only use a few fingers at a time.
  
  
• pushups with using your fists instead of your palms - this might be a simple way to work your triceps.
  
  If I were you, Id really do my research on the UCL though and make sure that whatever movements you choose don't use this ligament....
  
  Trust me, it's much better to let your body heal than trying to rush things and reinsure yourself.
  
  4 weeks isn't that long at all, maybe it's best to just lay off lifting for a month.

Price of ultimate plan: $370

P90X base plan: $140


Pull Up Bar: $30


Push Up Bars: $10


Chin Up Assist $35. This is a handy tool but a chair will suffice.


The recovery drink, while not a total waste of money, can be replaced with much cheaper supplements. I do stuff like protein powder and a frozen banana in a blender. Equivalent cost $40.


The real issue with ultimate package is the bands. You're going to want real weights. I went to a second hand sports equipment store and got a set of free weights at $.50 a pound. A nice full set will be in the $150 range.


Total: Around $400.


So for around $30 more, you can buy a much better set up than what's offered in the ultimate package. If you stick with it, you're going to replace the bands anyway.

Yep, T2. I was going to get the T3, but right before I clicked the buy button, I decided to measure. Glad I did, the height clearance wouldn't have worked where I wanted to put it.

I rocked a pair of Valor BD-9 Squat stands for a bit (I still have them), but man was it dicey upwards of 295. There were a couple of occasions where I thought I was going to be toast when re-racking.

Good point on the safety bars. I'd prefer straps, but this seems much more cost friendly. Thanks for the tip.

I loose weight very quickly with cardio, however I'm already on my feet all day at work. It's not cardio vs weight training. It's more important to enjoy the workout and push yourself. If she doesn't enjoy weight training, that's okay. Maybe after doing cardio for a while she'll decide to ease into other activities. If she's already frustrated with the diet, how is adding exercises she doesn't enjoy going to help solve anything?


If she enjoys cardio, and has time for it, it might be beneficial to eat a little more, but also exercise a little more too. Is she pushing herself? Running a little more, or a little faster every week or two is one option, or maybe she should try HIIT?

If she spends a lot of time sitting down on the job, it would be a good idea to get up and walk a lap, or do whatever she can get away with in her work environment every hour.


Is this really something she wants? I understand there are plenty of good reasons why you might make a post on Reddit for her, maybe she doesn't have an account etc. I have to wonder since you made the post, is this something you want for her more than she actually wants herself? Not trying to judge anyone here.


As for yourself, there's a set of adjustable dumbbells that go from 5 to 52 lbs for about $100 on Amazon, and a set that goes up to 100 lbs (each) for around $200. I bought a pair and I'm very happy with them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GC76NW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Luo0CbMV8YTTD

Not that I'm particularly advocating for this one in particular, but just in case anyone strolled through here and didn't know the difference between a "Squat Rack" and a "Power Rack"

http://www.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E/

Big fan of the power rack myself. I always feel more comfortable squatting heavy in it rather than a squat rack due to the ability to set higher safety bars, despite it not actually mattering when you think about it. Just something about an encompassing cage feels more protective.

And then there's the much greater versatility it can offer. So good.

like everyone said it’s all about your diet and eating 4-5 small portion meals.Replace sugar with stevia and try to stay active as possible.I say get rid of the treadmill and get yourself a good Jumprope, which I feel is a much better exercise, really anything where you are using every part of your body.I have a big basement so over the years I have been able to add different exercise equipment(barbells,dumbells,punching bags etc)

since you have limited space,I suggest saving up and getting
these

wavemaster

wavemaster pro

shamrock triple gym

you already doing good with swimming so continue with that

love that everyone is suggestion ippo since that is what got me motivated to stay fit and try boxing/martial arts.you ain’t gonna find that anywhere legally to stream so you’re going to have to use torrents and other sites.

Dude that guy is way more muscular than the average dude. The only way you can look like that in a year is with steroids. Anyways, you can still make drastic progress in a year. Do what everyone else said and read the FAQ first. A gym is ideal but you don't have to go if you don't want to. Buy some adjustable dumbbells. You'll also need a pull up bar. Start doing phraks greyskull. It's a fantastic beginner program and all of the exercises can be done with dumbbells. Deadlifts are kinda awkward though, I'd take them out and just do squats, it's not ideal but it's better than nothing. Train hard, eat big, sleep well and you'll see obvious changes in 8 weeks. Stay consistent and you'll reach that goal pic in a few years.

TLDR: Do phraks greyskull and lift progressively heavier weights, eat enough to gain 0.5-1 pound a week, sleep well.

You should be fine then. I've been looking around at a setup for myself and this is what I'm seeing (just some choices, not necessarily the right ones).

If you're interested in a platform you can build your own:
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/3xylb2/1_car_garage_home_gym_platform/
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/5apsti/diy_lifting_platform_is_plywood_really_this/
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/5frfij/if_you_could_do_one_thing_differently_with_your/

For a rack you might as well do a full cage, it is more safe. I used to own a squat rack with safety arms and it was fine. But a full cage allows you a bigger safety net.

Buget cage: http://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/t-3-racks/titan-t-3-series-hd-power-rack-36-deep.html or something like a T-2 from Titan. The T-3 or X3 will be going on sale tomorrow (4/4/2017).

Midline cage: https://www.bellsofsteel.com/product/commercial-power-rack-light/

More expensive cage: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rml-490-power-rack

For the bar I think starting in the mid 200-300 range will be sufficient for a long time. http://www.roguefitness.com/the-ohio-bar and https://www.fringesport.com/collections/barbells/products/bomba-bar-v2-black-20kg-oly-bar seem to be good choices. http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-28-5-mm-boneyard-bars are slightly cheaper, slightly defective (scratch, paint, etc.) if you go with Rogue.

For a bench if you go flat you will find a lot of decent ones for $100-200. It seems all of the sites selling the flat benches around $115 are currently out of stock.

https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491262179&sr=8-1&keywords=adidas+bench in stock (600 lbs rated)

http://www.titan.fitness/strength-equipment/weightlifting-plates-and-bars/benches/flat-bench-1-000-lb-capacity.html (1,000 lbs rated) out of stock

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-bt-bench in stock (1,000 lbs rated).

For plates you can buy used locally. There it seems $0.50/lb is good for steel plates, and around $1/lb for bumper plates. New you can try a local sports store for steel plates. For bumper plates you can get them from a lot of sources https://www.repfitness.com/bars-plates/olympic-plates/bumper-plates/rep-black-bumper-plates

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-hg-2-0-bumper-plates

http://www.vulcanstrength.com/Vulcan-Alpha-Bumper-Plates-Set-p/alphbsets.htm (fancy).

A gym membership at a place that has power racks, or if you're working out at home, a power rack / squat rack with safeties, a flat bench, a barbell and some weight (don't spend more than ~1k in total if you're just starting out).

Everything else is luxuries.

You can get by without those things too, but having them makes things a lot easier.

If you have a half-decent gym nearby I would go with that first for a few months, just so you figure out if you are going to keep lifting weights long term.

If I was doing a basic garage gym setup and didnt want to buy second hand I would grab these things:

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E/

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Fitness-Weight-Capacity-Handle/dp/B01M31YT3M

https://www.roguefitness.com/bravo-bar-bumper-set

They aren't the cheapest option (craigslist is the cheapest, and you can also get new things cheaper) but it strikes a good middle ground of getting things that have been tested and has an ok reputation (so should resell ok) while still being on the cheaper side.

I'd also get some exercise bands for like 20 USD from somewhere to do things like band pullaparts, facepulls and assisted pullups if you can't do full ones yet, and some microplates wherever they are cheap.

With those things, plus running/walking, you can do a full workout.

The next addition I'd get after that would be two dumbbell handles and some more small plates to do dumbbell exercises, but that is luxury. :)

Typically a bench's max weight includes the user. If you're already 270lbs and you're lifting even relatively light weights for your body weight (130+ lbs) you're already at 400 total lbs. Even cheap flat benches can accommodate that weight, but a lot of the integrated bench plus racks can't.

You'll also need to decide between 1" and 2" (Olympic) bars. I've found that cheap 1" bars can even deform dealing with 135 lbs of total weight, so if you're lifting even half your body weight you'll probably want to go towards Olympic if you want stuff that's going to hold up.

So really I think you have some options:

1. Screw the ratings, get whatever's cheapest and use it with some care. Not recommended by your doctor or insurance company, but will probably work. I used some terribly ghetto shit for years in my parents basement when I was a kid (which is how I know how easy it is to bend a 1" bar.
   
   
2. Get the cheap stuff but don't lift too much weight. Plenty of things are rated for 400 lbs, so a light BP would still work.
   
   
3. Shop around and find a very specific heavy duty rated integrated bench and rack, if you can
   
   
4. Get that cheap flat bench and a relatively cheap rack, you can find plenty of discussions on deals around here. This Powerline is popular and often goes cheaper than $320. One huge benefit here is that the rack isn't supporting your body weight plus weights, so the total it needs to be rated for is lower than those integrated BP devices. You can also do a full great workout on it.
   
   
5. Do one of the above via Craigslist or your local variant. You might be able to save a lot of money and/or get way nicer stuff. I accidentally have a gym grade adjustable bench and rack that are like $3K MSP for $750 from a patient craigslist find.
   
   TL;DR Benches max weights describe your weight plus the weight you're benching, so a lot of cheap benches aren't as safe as you might think they are

If you're pretty serious about lifting and wanting to increase your strength, then I would recommend getting yourself a quality belt. I use a 4" belt that isn't tapered. I recommend not using a tapered belt, because front support is just as important as rear support. It's not just for your lower back. A Proper belt gives your stomach something to push against when it's full of air. The inward force of the belt pushes your gut against your spine to support it.

I just recently bought this belt and I love it.

If someone was wearing a squat suit and squatting 225, then that person is ignorant. Do you know if it was actually a squat suit or was it just a singlet? I've never seen anyone use a squat suit unless they're squatting 1,000+ lbs.

Try oiling the sleeves and see if that does anything.

As for the bar...

1. I've used one of those cheap bars with the bolt at the end. Not good. Especially when you have re tighten them from time to time and hope the sleeve doesn't fall off.
   
   
   
2. Waste of money if you're gonna dare to Sn or CJ with it. Passable to do strength lifts on.
   
   
   
3. No, don't buy it.
   
   
   This seems to be the best option I could find on Amazon. I've never heard of them, who knows about the quality control and how long it will last but reviews seem ok. Only about 30$ more than your prior selection.
   
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Bonnlo-Barbell-Weightlifting-Capacity-Rotating/dp/B07BXHF8H6/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-8
   
   
   https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-Weightlifting-Renewed/dp/B07RH732VH/ref=sr_1_90?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724518&sr=8-90
   
   https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Power-Olympic-Weightlifting/dp/B006R4EOXM/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-5
   
   We used to use CAP barbells as our general purpose barbells. No idea what model but it wasn't uncommon for them to get bent over time or spin poorly.
   
   ​
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Training-Equipment-Olympic-Barbell-Crossfit/dp/B07NZ7T1VJ/ref=sr_1_59?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting%2Bbarbell&qid=1574724518&sr=8-59&th=1
   
   probably the next step up but you could just pony up another 50$ and get something from Fringesport with excellent customer service and a return policy. They bought out AgainFaster a few years ago which was pretty popular in the CF community.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/XMark-Lumberjack-Manganese-Phosphate-Powerlifting/dp/B01NBTGVNI/ref=sr_1_29?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting%2Bbarbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-29&th=1
   
   https://www.amazon.com/XMark-Crowbar-Olympic-Weightlifting-Powerlifting/dp/B07T6C2ZWL/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-12
   
   
   Never heard of XMark. They have plenty of reviews though.

I actually JUST got my 40lb ZFO weight vest today. Ordered it Sunday from their ebay store $59.99. I'm happy with my purchase. Mini-review:

Adjustable for a snug fit. Weights are 16 2.5lb bags that you can pull out of their pouches to adjust the weight. I wouldn't recommend running in it, but I got it for the same exercises you listed above. I'm a small guy (5' 8", 38" chest) so it's actually slightly uncomfortable for me to do pullups with, as my shoulders cause the straps to push into my neck, but whatever... it's not all that bad. Fine range of motion for dips and pushups.

It's sold on Amazon as well, but I wanted to use Paypal. They also have 60 and 80lb versions.

I also considered this vest but I ended going with the ZFO one because there are more reviews and I've seen it around for over 5 years.

Hope that helps!

EDIT*
Oof, just noticed Amazon charges $28 shipping. Get it at the ebay store for free shipping!

Ha. I haven't had a doorframe pull-up bar in a while, in part out of fear of bringing the door down, but in just as large part because of the lowered clearance. I just got one of these, and am pretty happy with it so far: https://www.amazon.com/Weider-WEBE99712-Power-Tower/dp/B0098MAYNY/

Not ideal height-wise, but sturdy and a better option than a doorframe pullup bar almost certainly; I think the height is 7 foot, with the leg-tuck (or extension) not awful as an option.

Also, here's a similar product which people in /r/bodyweightfitness seem to regard well: https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-50-1690-1690-Power-Tower/dp/B002Y2SUU4/

The cheapest and still maintain good quality option I found and used for my garage is:

Bumper Plate Set 230lb with Olympic Bar & Collars - $494 with free shipping

STANDALONE SQUAT STANDS - $130

adidas Flat Bench - $79

Home Pullup Bar - $79

That gets you a total off: $782
And is pretty much anything you'd ever need to get started. You can always later add some more cheaper stuff like individual bumpers, rings, balls, abmat, kettle bell, jump rope etc. Look for craigslist post of homemade plyo boxes and other used equipment like stationary bike, metal plates etc.

Of course it depends on what programming you follow and what they use. Mainsite crossfit is usually pretty minimal...they also have a traveling WOD option that barely uses any equipment.

I made a thread, check my post history. The rings I do push-ups, fly, row, dips, etc etc.

I got my barbell from Rogue in their clearance area. It's the B&R bar since I like the feel of raw metal. The knurling isn't too bad.

Editing to add more: Here's a link to build your own platform that I followed. It would be better to have a helper with the materials because they're kinda heavy to lift/position by yourself. Especially the horse mat. I used 3/4" plywood and 3/4" MDF for the top part so I used 3/4" horse mat to try to make things as flush as possible.

I got this flat bench from Amazon. I'm happy with it. An adjustable would have been preferred but this serves it's purpose just fine and didn't break the bank.

Here are the rings I have, also from Amazon. I compared them to my friends Rogue rings and the differences are minimal. They might be a little "rough" but after using them for a bit, they'll break in and be fine.

All said and done, my whole setup was right around $1500 and I can do almost anything I want.

I have this one, which looks very similar but without the spotter, etc:
https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-Commercial-Developer-Attachment/dp/B01N23F38A

While bench itself is good quality, it is > 21" high from floor to top of pad. Makes it hard to get feet down where I want them for bench (I am 5'11"). I bought a Titan Fitness flat bench recently as it is only 17" tall.

I use mine with the Fitness Reality 810XLT Power Cage that has been great:
https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-810XLT-Capacity-Weight/dp/B01NBOVAIJ

if you can't get to a gym or anywhere else..
It's a bit expensive, but I bought this to use since it can be taken apart and set up quickly for dips and rows.

Ultimate Body Press Dip Stand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ICHPIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wERExbGX4FEKH

I've returned a few pull up bars and this one worked out the best for me (doesn't damage my doors).

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008DNAJYI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DFRExbJYJ0GZQ

Thanks for the reply I'll have a look at that and try to convince her lol, would you say this one is as good? I found this on Amazon for a bit cheaper and it sounds pretty good http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003TTUGRQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427240284&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=Pull+up+bar&dpPl=1&dpID=416%2BQP7D4kL&ref=plSrch=plSrch0

Hey, so i dont really know what your hand looks like and if these would work for you. I use these for deadlifts, rows, and most things that would require a grip. They are not gigantic, and they are pretty comfortable. Again, i do not know what situation you are in, but these have helped me tremendously. Good luck. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVM34NO/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There's a price floor that you can't really go below. It just costs a certain number of dollars for the raw materials and shipping, even if labor and complexity are minimized.

Here are the best deals I know of:

Bench:

• Adidas flat bench - $100
  
• Pure Fitness flat bench - $85
  
• Rogue flat bench - ~$205 shipped
  
  Power rack: PPR200X - $300
  
  Barbell: Troy/USA Sports GOB-86 - about $100 shipped (search around for best deal)
  
  Iron plates: Craigslist or local fitness stores (shipping makes online stores not very competitive, although occasionally you can find a deal). Don't pay more than $1/lb. Brand doesn't really matter. They're just heavy round things.
  
  Bumper plates: Troy VTX or Hi-Temp at fringesport.com, or Pendlay Econ V2 at pendlay.com

Hello all. My city has long winters so I would like to exercise in my house. I was considering buying some sort of structure to hang my gymnastic rings (my doors are not sturdy enough to support a pull up bar and my house does not have any beams to hand them from). I was wondering if a pull up tower such as this one would be stable and adequate enough to hang rings?.If not I was wondering if someone could please give me guidance about what I should do. Thanks.

Some food for thought. I thought about that weight bench and ended up with this one.

https://amzn.com/B00JQKSPHK

It's a fair bit more expensive, but it looks a lot more stable. Any extra weights you have hang right on the rack to help stabilize it. It's a few inches shorter than I would prefer for racking squats at its tallest, but the easy adjustment and really solid spotter bar make up for it. My main concern with a bench/squat rack is it toppling while I'm already tired and trying to rack the weights. So, stability is key in my opinion.

The other thing was the flat bench. I looked for a while trying to find a cheap one and the main problem I kept coming across was the 300 lb limit on most benches around $50. If you're a big guy, doing a 100 lb bench press, you can quickly add up to a total of 300 lbs on the bench. This Adidas flat bench is only about $80 and can support 600 to 1000 lbs. Which I felt was the better investment.

https://amzn.com/B00WHIG6X8

My initial set up when I didn't want to spend a huge amount, but wanted the capability to do any major lift was as follows:

Bench and Rack


Barbell and weights


Plate Rack


Mats


Plate compatible dumbbells



I highly recommend buying a few extra plates if you plan to go heavier, I picked up 2 more 45's, 2 25's, 2 10's on top of what that set comes with. I was happy with it until I upgraded the rack and bench as my gym grew.

I bought a pair of these (PowerBlock Elite Set Dumbell, 50-Pound (pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G7RHGNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_sZXywbKQBE45X) a little while back. I love them and can do a variety of exercises at home while watching tv. I think they're worth the cost and would recommend buying a good pair of dumbells like this.

I do a full body workout as one of the first things I do in the morning to make sure I get it out of the way and don't skip.

I don't workout everyday. If I'm sore, sick, or injured, I rest that day. Otherwise, I workout. In the beginning, I was sore for several days. Right now my recovery is faster, so my workouts are about every other day.

I only do 3 bodyweight exercises right now. Each exercise takes about 10 minutes which includes 1 minute rest between each set and water break after each exercise. So that's only a 30 minute workout for 3 exercises.

1. Pullups with leg raise (Back, Biceps, Abs)
   
2. Dips (Chest and Triceps)
   
3. Single leg Pistol Squat with calf raise (quadriceps and calves)
   
   I'm currently 180 pounds 11% body fat. I can almost do 3 sets of 10 easily, so I will be getting a weighted vest soon to increase the difficulty.
   
   I have a planet fitness membership (starts at only $10 a month). But when I'm at the house, I just use this [pullup/dip door combo] (https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Door-Ultimate-Pullup-Doorway/dp/B0093T6R4C/).
   
   I will be adding a 4th exercise also that requires sand bags and padding for knees.
   
   4.Nordic Curl (Hamstring)
   
   So that pretty much covers the major muscle groups.
   
   If you can't do a single pullup or dip or pistol squat. You can use bands to assist. And look up progression videos on youtube.
   
   I don't do cardio right now, but at the end of the full body workout, my heart rate is around 156bpm. I'm not sure what my peak bpm is since I don't have a fitbit or anything. My first meal of the day is right after I return to my resting heart rate.

Here is a Google Sheets of my 4 day workout I am doing if it helps:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qC1na5K2oX6ObtO8LrErcRGDRltaC5o2Bcwm-Ko64TY/edit?usp=sharing

Feel free to edit it or copy it over to your account or print it.

Weights: Depending on where you are with lifting right now - these are the up to 24lb Power blocks:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Block-GF-SPDBLK24-Adjustable-SpeedBlock/dp/B000A6T9I8/ref=lp_2598805011_1_3?srs=2598805011&ie=UTF8&qid=1500681343&sr=8-3

or these are the 50lb version that can be expanded as you get stronger: http://a.co/e4WxgAW

I also purchased the stand for the weights to make life easier: http://a.co/1syQ1Rl

and this 5.1 bench: http://a.co/eSYlK2N

With this equipment, you can do basically the entire workouts on the sheet I made minus the dips which I bought another piece of equipment for because I love dips.

Don't know much about yoga but hope this might help

Did a quick little comparison... 107 lbs when setup and cost $309 on Amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E

Compare to the fitness reality one... 133.5 lbs and cost $199, also powder coat paint, since someone mentioned that about the T2.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N4I8FOY/ref=pd_gwm_simh_1?pf_rd_p=1c5f02ae-183e-4906-990b-5a293310a66c&pf_rd_s=blackjack-personal-1&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=ZC305KW49RKSJH4T2QZ9&pf_rd_r=ZC305KW49RKSJH4T2QZ9&pf_rd_p=1c5f02ae-183e-4906-990b-5a293310a66c


PS i help design the fitness reality one and get to design new attachments soon. Yay!!!

Ask me anything!

Sure. If it helps, here are the exact ones I bought:

• Bench
  
• Barbell set
  
• Squat rack
  
• Weight tree
  
  All are about the cheapest I was able to find. If you have some extra money, I'd definitely suggest a better barbell, or a power rack or at least a 1 piece squat rack instead of the 2 piece that I got. But that works fine for me.

Home. I find that having to go somewhere to work out means I rarely do it. I bought one set of these, which are enough for most strength training. Running and biking take care of cardio. Not having to pay a monthly fee is great, too!

Ah, yeah, I KNOW I would not use a gym. Having good at-home options is key to get myself doing stuff! I ended up loving strength training so much I invested in some powerblocks which were a fraction of the cost of my elliptical and wayyyy more useful to me, but they're totally not necessary...just really nice. :)

I'd look in the Rogue Boneyard
(if you want one of their bars on a budget).

Otherwise if you can find the CAP OB-86PBCK for around $110 - $130 you're good to go (Walmart | Amazon). I own this and for $112 (the price I paid) I am MORE than happy with the finish / knurling, etc. for doing SS (I'm only 9 weeks in). It will do it's job just fine for a long time.

Just make sure you get a bar with Center Knurling (like the Ohio Power Bar, Chan Bar, the CAP one listed) if you're getting this for SS / SL.

This is really helpful and thank you for the thorough reply!! I'm going to try this 4" and this one. But now that I've read your reply I may try a nylon alternative.

I wonder if the fuss about leather being necessary for powerlifting has to do with the very heavy weights that male lifters are encountering. If I were doing an 800lb deadlift, rather than 260, maybe I'd want something more substantial.

Sounds like I just need to test out a bunch of options and go with what feels right.

It really depends on the extent of the disability.

Something like this might work if you have an arm and partial hand.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Weight-Lifting-Hooks-Weightlifting/dp/B00DVM34NO

The equipment for extensive disabilities gets on the expensive side, unfortunately. You would need to work with someone to find a best-fit solution.

I hope this doesn't break rule 5, I am doing my best not to give any advice that would be controversial in any way.

I am not a doctor, or therapist.

You would do yourself a favor buy purchasing a pull-up & dip tower instead. A "hanging" leg raise is more effective, and you can also elevate yourself on the dip bars for leg raises as well. Then, you've got the added benefit of a pull-up bar and a dip bar, to really go HAM.

Or for the whole monty, on Amazon search for "Power Towers" http://www.amazon.com/Weider-WEBE99712-Power-Tower/dp/B0098MAYNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406076311&sr=8-1&keywords=pullup+tower

Are you against working out or just working out at the gym? If it's the latter check out bodyweightfitness sub. A lot of good stuff there to work out at home. I second the recommendation for a pull up bar, and would also recommend something to allow for dips and rows like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0093T6R4C/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_200_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41OF1B-tERL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C100_&refRID=18DVED7G0HQYSVQD57WJ

Or you can buy an extension for a pull up bar like this (the one I have):


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0064OQFBO/ref=pd_aw_sim_200_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51cRgghe9NL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C54_&refRID=04ZAT84B6ZGE1472BG9P

I have one of these and I like it.

I definitely think it's a worthwhile purchase because I love pull ups.

I got one of these guys for 300: http://www.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420678266&sr=8-3&keywords=power+rack

I can't really make any comparisons but I've had it for almost a year now and it's worked out great. Seems like a solid budget option.

Why not buy one of those pull-up bars you can attach to a doorframe? They're really cheap and you can take them straight off again when you're done so it doesn't impact on anyone else.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/EXERCISE-DOOR-PULL-UPPER-TRAINER/dp/B003TTUGRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1421977143&sr=1-1

One like that. They're a great exercise. Just by regularly doing pull-ups, push-ups, bodyweight squats and sit-ups you can get a good well-balanced physique.

If the gym is 30 minutes away and you think you would use the dumbbells then yes I would recommend getting a set of dumbbells. You can watch videos in the background while working out or just split the time between working out and watching videos.

​

If money is not an issue I would suggest getting an adjustable pair, like the bowflexes or powerblocks. (not UAE links but just to show you what I'm referring to) I wish I had got them when I bought my dumbbells instead of the traditional ones with spinlock collars. They save so much time and space.

Power Weight Lifting Hooks - Best Weightlifting Strap Hooks for Gym Training Workout Like Deadlift & Shrugs - Ultimate Grips Powerlifting Hook with Cushioned Neoprene Wrist Straps - Comes in Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DVM34NO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-yDpyb5HMY19K

God the share function from the amazon app is crap..

For dips you can use the backs of two chairs, or get parallel bars or something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Body-Press-Dip-Stand/dp/B000ICHPIK

Whatever works. For my needs, the power tower takes up too much space and can be replaced with other options I already have. For your needs it might be perfect.

Rings are great for a lot of stuff so you probably want rings eventually regardless.

1.) skip the band and find a way to incorporate some rings. I rigged some up to my pullup bar. Ring pushups are amazing. Rows are great too. Also, assuming you have a door with a decent frame, get one of these pullup bars instead.
4.) I recommend the mornings. Working out at 9-10 will probably mess with your sleep patterns. Working in the morning can help wake you up and you can also do things like brush your teeth, shave, and prepare breakfast during your rest times.

It might not be an issue of strength. It could be anything from subpar "wrist form" on pushups to it simply not being a position your body is well-suited for. I'm fairly decent at pushups, and usually my wrists are fine, but other times I notice pain and it's not entirely clear to me why.

Anyway, something like push up bars may help. I've never noticed any pain with them, even with significant weight, and you get the added bonus of being able to go deeper. Or you can improvise with dumbbells etc. if you don't want to buy any.

is there any way you can spend 180 to get squat stands? If so there are some great squat stands on sale for 180 that can hold a lot of weight. and it takes up no room. the one i have has a safety catch too.

mysquatstand

now if youre squatting heavier than 550 or benching more than 300 or close to those numbers, this isn't for you, otherwise its really great.

This is my main barbell. It doesn't have the knurling in the center, but it still works for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K4OPY2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This one showed up on SlickDeals the other day for just over $100. It's much higher in price now, but it may come back down. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R4EOXM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?tag=slickappfp-20&ascsubtag=804135fa590311e7b4ca324be198f5910INT&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

For mobility take a look at Got ROM and Alan Thralls YouTube channels.

Farmers bars are great for grip strength. My shoulders were consistently giving my troubles and I tried a ton of different things. One thing that appears to have helped me big time is to strictly use an overhand grip when deadlifting. So I continue up with deadlifting weight until I cannot hold it anymore. Right now I'm at a 2-3 reps with 290. Then move over to straps. The hook grip is also an option.

The quality of these belts don't look too good and I have never heard of em before. http://www.amazon.com/Leather-Power-Weight-Lifting-Medium/dp/B0028H00HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458390267&sr=8-1&keywords=powerlifting+belt I HIGHLY recommend this one. Quality is great and price is almost the same as the ones you mentioned. Although I've only had it around 1 year I use 3-4 times a week and it has DEFINITELY held up

Strong,
thick,
and cheap and most importantly, way stronger than velcro which will pop off if you're pushing against it too hard at heavy weight and then you ded. No need for an Inzer or anything super fancy at this point.
I've had mine for about a year now and it's fantastic.

I have Power Blocks (3 to 24 lbs each dumbbell) and I've loved them! They are the only sport/exercise equipment that I've continuously used. I do a lot of Fitnessblender.com workouts, so having the ability to change weight quickly is important for me. I've had them for about 2 years and now I'm looking into buying some heavier, expandable ones.


I highly recommend them if you end up going adjustable. You may be able to find some on Craigslist.

I'm looking into getting some heavier weights for my home gym. I have relatively little room and am cheap. Lately I've been doing pretty basic lifts and just trying to get stronger, while not negatively impacting my running, which is what I really care about. I have two 15 lb dumbbells and one random 25 lb plate, which are obviously really light. I'm hoping for some advice on what to get next.

I'm tempted to get some adjustable dumbbells, but I really like renegade rows and I'm not sure if adjustable dumbbells with plates would hold up. Buying just a couple hex dumbbells seems silly, since I'd probably just out grow them fairly quickly. Other options I've been thinking of are kettlebells or a sandbag filled something that isn't sand because I don't want sand in my house.

I can't fit a barbell or a rack in and I'm not willing to get something like the ironmaster dumbbells, which are outside my budget. Any ideas on what I should pick up?

Get something like these for your planks, pushups, and L-sits to take some pressure off of the ulnar nerve! I did this whenever I had ulnar nerve issues.

Also, doing daily wrist mobility exercises will help strengthen your wrists as well and can help condition you over time. I've been able to do all the original exercises that used to put pressure on my ulnar nerve much more easily now, and most of it was likely due to the wrist mobility exercises.

I've read a ton of reviews of power racks recently and think I've finally narrowed it down. Right now I'm using a shitty bench with vertical bars that I'm pretty much at the weight limit for.

I'm looking at getting the Rep PR 1100 with dip bars and this bench. I live in colorado so I can in person pick up the power rack and not have to pay shipping.

My budget is right around $300 and since it's probably not safe for me to use my current bench much longer I can't really afford to wait and save up for a really nice power rack.

Is there any reason not to get this combo? I weigh 145lbs and I'm currently benching 150lbs. It looks like this combination will last me a good while and meet all of my current needs.

I did the Dick's 300lb weight set, this squat rack and bench from Amazon (watch it on camelcamelcamel) Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage with The 800 lb Capacity Super Max 1000 Weight Bench Combo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBOVAIJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RANaAb1P2QYMD, and the horse stall mat.

Total came to right around $600.

weighted vests work great on boxvr workouts involving squats/dodging..

I'm using this one -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002P60ZZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

works ok but really bulky (I have the 40lb model, with about 30lb's on it..).. given that I'm only using partial the weight on there (you can remove weights in 2.5lb increments)), I think a lighter/better fitted vest might be better..

I'm also using these wrist weights- but - most people really caution against using wrist weights. I feel as if they make a big difference, but be careful w/ quick wrist movements while wearing these - (note - ignore that these are marketed to women.. they're the best wrist weights I've found after going through a few different brands and even give a bit of wrist support..)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JFRPZD5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 (2lb total, 1lb/wrist - I use these for beat saber)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JFRPZD5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 (4lb total, 2lb/wrist - i use these for boxvr)

I've posted this a couple of times but not affiliated with the company. I think the Powerbar (made by a UK company) is really the best design. For me it is higher than any others, fits more doors (only restriction is the width of the door), leaves no marks and most importantly folds flat for easy storage under a bed/sofa.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerbar-assembly-Folds-Design-protectors/dp/B00376I6G4

A set of Olympic weights, a power cage, a bench and a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I got all but the book second-hand, so it can be pretty affordable and safe. (All links except book are for illustrative purposes only, not necessarily recommending those specific units)

If you're just looking for DB's I would go with something like this. They're adjustable and actually a pretty fair price for a set. They are 105 lbs total, so they go up to 52.5 lbs each. I would also get a barbell so you can do some compound stuff as well.

DB's

Barbell

This machine will not mimic free weights. But depending on your goals you might not need or want free weights - a machine could definitely get and keep you pretty well toned.

If your concern is space, there are lots of options, though. For example, I have a system that totally slides/rolls/folds away out of sight when I am done: dumbbells, a standalone bench, etc. There's even for example these things.

You could try secondhand stores or gym equipment resalers for dumbbells. Something like this would take up a lot less space than individual dumbbells, and may be cheaper than Bowflex-style adjustables (depending on your needs, obv).

I own a flat bench like this that stands up in the corner when I'm not using it. I use a stability ball if I want to do something like an incline dumbbell press at home, but a foldable incline bench like this might also work well.

Yep, even if you have to save a little longer, it's worth it in the long run (as long as you've got the space for it). If you're willing to save longer/spend more, you can get a squat rack with adjustable hooks, pull up bar, and dip stand. Get yourself pair of these, and now you can do basically any non-machine exercise that exists.

This is my setup, so Bias/10.

I got this one in February and it's amazing, you just put it up when you want it, doesn't break your door and is just generally awesome.

Like someone else said, I got these and just slowly added plates as I needed, usually off Amazon. Have used them for 4-5 years now, they work great.



If I had to go back and do it again, however, there's a reasonable chance I'd use these if I could find them. They are a little more expensive, but they let you use 2'' plates, which means if you ever get a bar you can just buy a nice one and use the same plates.

Of course you can also go dig around Ross Enamait's site and get his training books to DIY build your own 1'' bars when you need to carry a lot of weight. That's also pretty inexpensive, but you really gotta do a little work for it, and may hurt yourself, so be careful (and of course "I am not a professional and only provide this as educational, etc, don't blame me if you break yourself")

Maybe your left wrist is too weak to do them properly? You aren't really supposed to be resting on your wrists during push-ups, you are supposed to be on your hands/fingers. That's the issue I have with one armed push ups at least.

If that's the case you can either do them on your fists, put one of these on the ground and do them using that, or get something like these until your wrists are strong enough. BWSG989 posted a good link to look at, wrist push-ups should help a lot.

I dropped $299 on the PowerBlock Elite Adjustable Dumbbell Set earlier this year and it's allowed me a ton of flexibility to do free weight workouts at home. Pullup bar or tower/Adjustable bench/Dip station would be other basics that will open up some great fundamental workouts.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGCJZEC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GHNLK9E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They make a short one. I believe.

Edit: found the short one https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Short-Power-Squat-Deadlift/dp/B00NAHQP90/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1480359386&sr=1-1&keywords=titan+t-2+short

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087T8UOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

• treadmill/stationary bike
  
  
• olympic barbell set. I found mine on craigslist for cheap but there is always:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-Weight-Medium/dp/B004X1688A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1480359293&sr=8-7&keywords=cap+barbell+weights
  
  edit2: https://stronglifts.com/ routine on Monday/Wednesday/Friday
  
  on days that are not M/W/F do 60 to 90 minutes of cardio.
  
  eat less than you currently do, or do the keto, whatever you'd like.
  
  in 6 months post progress pics.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002P60ZZC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496451469&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=zfosports+weighted+vest&dpPl=1&dpID=519WFXPYhCL&ref=plSrch

I have this vest and love it. Under $80 and the thing is tough. Comes with 40# worth of sand bags that can be adjusted in 5# increments and moved around according to your preference. It's a similar design to the MiR vests with half the cost. Plus if you have Prime free two day shipping.

I have this which I bought a few years ago when it was cheaper. It collapses and doesn't take up much room at all. I can assemble/disassemble it in 15 seconds. It might be too pricey right now, but you can find other collapsible dip stands for cheaper.

Also, for the chairs, you can try putting something weighted on the seat so they are more stable and you can try putting a towel on the back so it's more comfortable to grip.

I do have a leather weightlifting belt but prefer not to use it. I would rather grow stronger slower than rely on it at the lighter weights I am currently lifting. If I ever get back to intermediate level/competitive numbers, I will consider using it. Until then, it's breathing and bracing.

Cheers!

That weight bench: "It has a 250-pound maximum user weight and a maximum combined user weight and lift load of 430 pounds." I don't know what you weigh, but I'd be pushing up against that limit really fast. Heaven forbid you want to do some very heavy partial reps.

But right now, you're limited to 300lbs by the bar, which is just to low. I would buy less, but buy better (to keep money the same)

Buy the bar new, and get something that can take up to 1000lbs. You won't need it, probably ever, but it will last and last, and you can sell it when you're done.

Buy the weights off of Craigslist. You can usually find them for $0.5/lb. YOu can also optimize, buying more 5s and 45s, fewer 35s.

If money is really tight, consider getting squat stands (like the BD-9). You can bench just fine, as long as you are sensible. Also they are stowable, unlike the powercage.

Head on over to /r/homegym for some more ideas.

Ha. "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

But really, I have no idea what that thing is all about. I looked at the owners manual and it seems to have a lot of different functions, but nothing that's really that relevant to bodyweight workouts. The lat pulldown feature is relevant if you can't get a pullup, but I think everything else, you can do without equipment. Consider just getting something like this. Doesnt require installation. Maybe something like this as well.

These are pretty cheap depending where in the world you are located.


I have this set and they work great.

Lifting straps might be for you - they wrap around the wrist and it to support some of the weight. They're easy enough to use on DBs.

They also make these hook things which would probably be useful too.

I've been pretty happy with my door gym. It might be something to look into. https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Door-Ultimate-Doorway-Trainer/dp/B0093T6R4C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=door+triple+gym&qid=1554146687&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

​

I bought the "Ultimate Body Press" (http://amzn.com/B000ICHPIK) a few years ago & it has served my purposes good enough. It's got a simple design & it's easy to move around the house. I've done both body-weight dips & weighted dips with it. It might not be "gym quality" with durability that can withstand constant daily use, but it's held up fine with just me using it a couple times a week for the last few years. It feels a little wobbly (as would just about anything that's not heavy or bolted down to a concrete floor), but it stays securely in place when I'm doing vertical dips on it.

Agreed. Ive been using these for many years. Save your wrists from getting inured. Just better in general. https://www.amazon.ca/Cap-Barbell-Definity-Push-Holder/dp/B002OEQ50Y/ref=sr_1_1/132-1700664-3764937?ie=UTF8&qid=1497925841&sr=8-1&keywords=push+up+bars

This is a relatively common issue, people with carpal tunnel syndrome often have trouble bending their wrist to ninety degrees. They make foam wedges to support your hand at a milder angle, you can also use a rolled up towel or yoga block. Pushup bars are another alternative if your range of motion is too restricted for a wedge. I linked to the first ones I found, but lightweight plastic might be better than metal for yoga.

It will take a little time to get used to having these things within arm's reach, but with practice you will learn to anticipate when you might need it and it will become easy and fluid.

My honest recommendation is to see if you can grab something between 20-40lbs for home use on craigslist (literally anything that won't fall apart on you), and find yourself a gym later on. Dumbbells can get expensive, even though these would be awesome to have for a home gym. Consider a gym membership for christmas

Some things you may not have thought about:

• University student? Free gym! Check the local council website too.
  
• Parks? Check here for calisthenics-related parks (i.e. with a bar). Or just find something, anything nearby to do pull-ups and attach...
  
• Rings. About £20 delivered, see eBay.
  
  This is pretty much the gold standard of pull-up bars: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GM-Door-Gym-Black-Large/dp/B003TTUGRQ/

It really depends on how much money you're willing to invest. I personally have a standard bench
https://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Utility-Weight-Bench-Black/dp/B00G44X9D6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496175133&sr=8-3&keywords=gym+bench

along with a few lighter dumbbells and heavier dumbbells. Also have a 30 pound and 50 pound kettlebell and a yoga mat that i do yoga and situps/crunches on. Something else thats helped me is a good DVD workout program (P90X, UFC Fit etc) maybe find one thats right for you. Many of them offer terrific workouts with minimal equipment/space issues.

I'm leaning towards Power Blocks. I see two options here and I'm slightly confused.

The PowerBlock Elite seems like it can be expandable and it is more compact. Its also cheaper. Amazon link

The PowerBlock Personal Trainer doesnt look like it can expand and that it is slightly larger. ITs also slightly more expensive. Amazon link

Why/how are the two models different? The Elite seems like the better choice here right? Is one model newer than the other? I feel like I'm missing something here.

Weider Power Tower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098MAYNY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_3lYlub0JW77JK

A little on the large side, but totally worth it for the price and the number of exercises you can do. Easy to put together and sturdy.

A plain squat rack will work for you. You could use something as simple as this: http://amzn.com/B006CW02ZS

As for the floor, There's 400 pound people, if two of them hugging doesn't break a floor I don't think a squat rack will. For overhead press you can take it outside most of the year, otherwise seated is the next best option.

I love my power rack. If cost is a concern, reviewers seem fairly satisfied with this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GHNLK9E/

Personally, I got a more expensive one, with potential upgrades in mind.

Adjustable Dumbells, get the elites as they expand if you need more than 50lbs.

https://www.amazon.com/PowerBlock-Elite-Dumbell-50-Pound-pair/dp/B00G7RHGNY/ref=sr_1_1?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1537901887&sr=1-1&keywords=powerblocks

Adjustable Bench

https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-Super-Adjustable-Weight/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1537901909&sr=1-3&keywords=adjustable+bench

Pull Up Bar

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Age-Portable-Technology-Invention/dp/B07FNQTH4Y/ref=sr_1_5_acs_ac_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1537901936&sr=1-5-acs&keywords=pull+up+bar

Cardio Equipment of your choice/budget. I would pick a rowing machine, since it's perfect for HIIT.

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kettlebells: start with a 16 kilogram KB. If I could only have ONE kettlebell, I'd prob choose a 24 kilo one, but jumping right into a 24 may be tough.

For dumbbells, a 5-50 set will cover all your bases for a while.
https://www.amazon.com/PowerBlock-Elite-Dumbell-50-Pound-pair/dp/B00G7RHGNY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=powerblock&qid=1562383190&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1

You can get those for around 220-230 on sale from amazon if you are patient. That set is good because as you get stronger, you can pick up the 70 lb and 90 lb add on kits. They take up so little space compared to individual dumbbells in 5 pound increments.

Currently just started working out again recently. I currently have

fitness reality squat rack/bench

CAP 7ft Olympic bar

powerblock elite dumbbels

CAP ez curl bar


Goal: I'm skinny being 6'2 and weighing 140lbs. My goal is to get calves and biceps. When I used to go to the gym all the time. I used to enjoy using their cables to do lat pull downs, standing pull downs etc.

So I'm stuck between a cable machine or maybe something that can workout my calves like a sitting calf raises matchine

The bench you linked and the squat rack probably only have a weight limit of 300 pounds.

Not worth buying.

For Deadlifts to protect your floor you need something like horse stall mats and a lifting platform. Or horse stall mats and bumpers. (I got horse stall mats and the diamond pro bumpers from Walmart)

This rack gets good reviews (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01NBOVAIJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510675575&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=fitness+reality+810xlt+super+max+power+cage+with+weight+bench&dpPl=1&dpID=51lKZOJI16L&ref=plSrch)
Look at Rep Fitness (better quality) or Titan (cheaper) for actually equipment that can handle lifting heavy

Looks pretty solid. More solid than mine and it handles a pull up bar just fine.

Edit: bear in mind the "between the doorframe" bars will probably damage the frame anyway through compression and rubber rubbing off on the paint.

Ones like the powerbar2 (which are much much better imo) won't damage the frame but you may well get some black from the rubber rubbing off on the frame. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00376I6G4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7kYSBb7VV59BH

You may be interested in a triple gym. The short bar will help with rows and the parallels with dips as well!

https://www.amazon.com/Shamrock-Triple-Pullup-Suspension-Door/dp/B0093T6R4C

I have a studio apartment and use a half rack (something kind of like this but not exactly). Then I have an adjustable bench that goes under it. It's great for squats and benching. Then I have a custom-built narrow deadlift platform made of plywood topped with foam. You don't really need a huge platform unless you want to do Oly lifts, which probably isn't happening in your apartment.

If I were to do it again, I'd probably go even smaller (and cheaper) by getting squat stands like these. A rack is probably a little sturdier, but the stands are more versatile. You could probably rig them up to do dips off of, which is something I don't currently have equipment for.

I have one of the these

Pros - folds flat in 5 seconds

Very solid (I was ~200lbs when i started with these on a fairly flimsy door)

Can hang rings off the wide handles


Cons Things like skin the cats are hard due to the 2nd bar.

Need to make sure legs are in right place or you can dent your wall (very very minor dent above my wall from this)

Need to check it would fit your door

This is in the UK so not sure if you'll find the same but it's extremely well built and sturdy, I really like it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerbar-assembly-Folds-Design-protectors/dp/B00376I6G4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1382368135&sr=8-7&keywords=pull+up+bar

This power rack is probably the best deal on amazon. $320 shipped, capacity up to 700lbs. Comes in 2 or 3 boxes. UPS guy probably won't hate you.

Pushups. Regular flat on the floor, then some with feet elevated, and some with hands elevated. I'll even use those half-sphere hand-sized balls (rounded side down) under my hands for an extra challenge.

I balance the pushups with a Doorway Chest and Shoulder Stretch to prevent rounded shoulders. If you can get a door frame pull-up bar with dip bar and suspension straps, those are great. Like this one.

For the core, I'm not a big fan of sit-ups. I like leg raises, flutter kicks, planks, and the BJJ sit-through.

I use this pull up bar and think its great. Doesn't damage the door and feels very solid and can be installed and removed in seconds if having something permanent is not possible - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerbar-assembly-seconds-Design-protectors/dp/B00376I6G4/ref=sr_1_7?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1332259730&sr=1-7

Try to get the carbs down to 20 grams a day. I'd say scrap the jogging and just buy a couple of weights. Here are some good ones. Now just use those in every way possible for the same duration as your jog. Don't take breaks either. I guarantee it will help.

I just bought two of these and they're fantastic. Get yourself some 10, 5 and 2.5 lb plates (any sporting goods store should have them, or check Craigslist) and you're good to go.

Using a "type 1" pull-up bar or some specialized push-up handles for push-ups will take a small amount of weight off but they also alleviate a lot of stress on your wrists, which is their main purpose, and they allow you to dip a bit lower than where your hands are supported increasing the range of motion and effectiveness of your push-ups. Plant your feet on a flat piece of 2x6 and you're right back to a standard weighted push-up.

Pro Tip: Elevate your feet with a chair or stool to increase weight on your push-ups...

*edit: I am not a pro to be handing out pro-tips, it just seemed like the thing to say ;-)

I got this one when it was on sale for ~$40.
Seems to hold up well, the velcro is fine for anything but distance running, in which case you might want to actually use the fasteners, which are admittedly somewhat overcomplicated. Goes up to 40 lbs, and my roommate and I have both been very satisfied with our vests so far.

Can anyone recommend a good pull up bar? I found one on Amazon for only £9.95 and it just seems a bit cheap.

Great idea! Here's the revised list:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00615748000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=31-32092008-2 (best deal I could find)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JJM38S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (bench)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041FQZMW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (mat)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLRVSC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (Power cage)

I'm thinking about not getting the mat because it's getting kind of expensive.

I use the Ultimate Body Press. I see some other cheaper options but I like what I have and it folds down easily for storage.

Offer to pay for any damage? Mine has taken off some paint and left a black smudge on the right side (after ~10 years use).

Some people come up with ways of limiting damage. I use towels for wide-grips, but it's a bit of a nuisance.

(I know it's too late now, but I would have just bought one, used it, and apologised later).

edit: some come with extra padding (although that one gets some shitty reviews). This one might spread the weight better than my own - it looks like a good design.

lol slippers

Here you go:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerBlock-Elite-Dumbell-50-Pound-pair/dp/B00G7RHGNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452704860&sr=8-1&keywords=powerblock

Free shipping too :)

Maybe some weight lifting hooks to take your wrists out of the equation? Would lifts that put weight on your wrists but where you keep them straight work? Bench/deadlift/pullup/etc? Whatever solution you come up with, you're definitely going to want to up your protein intake - if you don't eat enough protein, you'll just be wasting time lifting.

Would buying something like this be a good idea?

I would buy one of those door frame pull-up bars but I'm convinced that I'll pull and interior wall down.

No problem. I'm glad, this helped at least a little bit :)

This is how our park looks, that we build:

Pictures

BarBroZ Austria - The Beginning - Short Video with more pictures

Edit: Something like This could also be useful.

I just went through this same dilema between getting something cheap, and what I really wanted. I ended up with the 105 lb set of these. (That's 52.5 lbs in each hand and it comes with two handles obviously).

I like them so far. It's a little annoying to change weights in the middle of a workout, but it sets a consistent rest time in between exercises at least (which may or may not be a good thing depending on who you are, but I like how it paces me).

They were cheap, work just as well as any other ones I've used. So for $100 shipped, why not.

Meh, they are just weights without moving parts so as long as you don't go to Wal-Mart or something you should be alright. I would go with Powerblocks if I were going to buy a set for home.

http://www.amazon.com/PowerBlock-Plus-Dumbbell-Set-Black/dp/B00NCACZOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425333546&sr=8-2&keywords=powerblocks

http://www.amazon.com/PowerBlock-SportBlock-Adjustable-24-Pounds-per/dp/B000A6T9I8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425333546&sr=8-3&keywords=powerblocks

Not sure how much you want to spend or how much weight you are considering, but these are some basic ones. There are some cons (read the reviews) but they are just stacks of weight plates...so ya, not much to review.

Craigslist will likely have some sweet deals if you want to go with traditional DBs.

Build a home gym. A couple plate loaded dumbbell handles, an olympic bar, power cage, adjustable bench, and enough plates for your current strength level. For barbell exercises you can get away with 2 25lb plates, 2 10 lb plates, 2 5lb plates, and then enough 45's for whatever you need at your current strength level and just buy more as needed. Might be a big initial cost but I'd rather spend $500 on enough equipment for my own workout equipment than spend $10 a month to make 0 progress.


http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Solid-Dumbbell-Handle-Collars/dp/B0010YOBB4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1398024495&sr=8-5&keywords=dumbbell+handles


http://www.amazon.com/Series-Squat-Rack-Bench-Press/dp/B00DPLXYPY/ref=sr_1_14?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1398024654&sr=1-14&keywords=squat+rack


http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-Weights-45-Pounds-Olympic/dp/B00306YI1I/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1398024706&sr=1-3&keywords=cap+weight+plates


http://www.amazon.com/Reebok-05-55127-Fitness-Bench/dp/B003PB2LN0/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1398025286&sr=1-10&keywords=adjustable+bench


just an example of what you'd need for a basic home gym setup. For $400 you can get a bench, squat rack, and the dumbbell handles, another 100 bucks will get you enough weights to be able to do pretty much any dumbbell exercise and you could use the same plates for the barbell as you do the dumbbell so you wouldn't need a whole lot of plates. considering my golds gym membership is $40/month that means for roughly 15 months of a gym membership you can get enough equipment for bodybuilding at home any time you want without having to drive to the gym or wait for equipment to open up or worry about getting kicked out for working too hard. If you find the stuff on craigslist im sure you can do it for even cheaper.

I just grabbed this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00376I6G4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

It's all my budget can afford right now. Christmas killed me. Should be ok on one of the supporting walls. My door frames are pretty strong.

I got these from Amazon and I'm pretty happy with them now that I have the stand. Nothing plastic about them. My only complaint is the knurling is basically non-existent.

I actually prefer them to the Powerblock Elite dumbbells that I bought and returned, and they're less than half the price.

Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBOVAIJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Yes4All Adjustable Dumbbells - 105 lb Dumbbell Weights (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GC76NW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yHsDDb747H2NQ

Yes4All Adjustable Dumbbells - 200 lb Dumbbell Weights (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D487TDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wIsDDb2N7YBF2

Can be a little time consuming changing weights, but good value for the money

Mon - Deadlift, Row

Wed - Bench, Incline

Fri - Squat, OHP

Sat - Weighted Chins, Weighted Dips

Aesthetics is definitely one of my goals and I have built most of my physique and strength with that routine above. I go to the gym on my lunch break at work so don't have time for faffing around with other exercises. The only part of me that could use some work is probably my traps, maybe rear delts.

I prefer to add the extra day rather than do 3 exercises on Mon/Wed as I have this which means I can do chins and dips at home - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0093T6R4C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Don't get fancy adjustable dumbbells, get regular ones like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GC76NW/

You can get heavier plates to add to them. Plus easier to find used. I've got a pair of these, and regular 1" barbell weights work fine on them, you can make 200lb barbells if you wanted. You should be able to find them used on Craigslist if you live in a city.

• I have the Euro bar and I like it a lot. I do wish it had a little more whip, but then again, I'm not lifting a ton of weight (100/120ish).
  
  
• Stall mats: See if there's a tractor supply store near you. Horse stall mats are like $40 for a 4' x 6' x 0.75" piece.
  
  
• Squat stand: I got this one from Amazon. It's kinda shaky but I've never had a problem and it's rated for 500lbs. It also comes with arms that attach to the stands for benching.
  
  
• Most important item: A chair to sit on between sets

The power tower and those rings are exactly what I use and it's perfect! You may also want to get a bench if you're going to be doing rows on the rings because there's a bar in the middle that makes it difficult and slightly dangerous. I bought this bench and it works just fine. You may want a foot and a half or so of clearance. My ceiling isn't particularly high(about 8' or so?) and I clear the bar just fine on pullups.

The women's bars are often 15kg instead of 20kg (so about 35#), and have a thinner bar diameter. Whether there's any reason for you to want one I can't say, I don't have one and probably wouldn't get one but that's just me. There was a big thread about women's bars about a week ago so you might check that out. [Link] (https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/comments/6the4a/what_a_difference_a_womens_bar_makes/)

I personally chose this [CAP barbell] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006R4EOXM?ref=emc_b_5_t) for my home gym. I would have liked to get a nice Rogue bar but it was out of my price range and also my gym is on a back porch so theoretically it would be easy (although time-consuming) for someone to steal all of it. The one I linked is the center knurl version, they also have them without that so if you go with the CAP ones from Amazon be careful which one you get! The link should have a chart of all the CAP barbells so you can compare them.

It's not the nicest bar I've ever used, nor the worst, but for the price I have no complaints. I managed to find a second (crappier) bar on Craigslist, and we use that one for deadlifts.

We only got a single pair of 45lb bumpers and some 10s, because we have a set of regular iron Olympic plates so we can get up to the 200s just with all that, and so that is plenty for our purposes. I can't remember where we got the 45s from in the end. :(

ETA: Now I remember, we got the "one fit wonder" 45 bumper pair from fringesport. I don't remember why I got those particular ones (probably felt they were the most decent value for the $$ at the time), but I have no complaints about them and they are rather attractive.

I have this 10mm belt at 5'11" 185lbs, it's in the second to tightest holes, I wear 33" jeans. Great support, wearing in nicely. Not sure the 13mm would provide much more for me except be harder to break in. I find this belt is just soft enough not to cut into me on dead lifts. I wear it a little higher for deads after following Alan Thrall's advice.

I bought a pair of something like these off eBay so I could use my Olympic plates. dumbbells

I save space that way. The only issue I have is trying to superset until I can get some more 10lb plates

That looks a lot like the Titan rack http://smile.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

If so, it's a pretty good deal, if it's in new condition and the J-Hooks that aren't pictured are included.

If it's not in new condition then I think it's a bit overpriced.

Just put together somewhat of a beginning of a home workout space in a spare bedroom. I'll give you the links of what we purchased and you can see if it's something you'd be interested in.

Power Rack

Bench


Weights

I'm sure I'll be adding more stuff to it eventually down the line but as for right now that will cover every lift I need to do. We also purchased a storage rack for the weights when not in use as well as some other misc. stuff but it's not really necessary to own.

I'm not sure how bad it is or if they have you in a brace or not buuut if they did put a brace on it then can you use hooks?

Like this

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Weight-Lifting-Hooks-Weightlifting/dp/B00DVM34NO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485972577&sr=8-3&keywords=powerlifting+hooks

or

https://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Power-Deadlifts-Neoprene-Support/dp/B01JF4QWIK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485972577&sr=8-5&keywords=powerlifting+hooks


You can get it cheaper. I always thought that if I sprained or broke my wrist I'd wrap it up in one of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMXOS0M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


And put a forearm hook on and try to continue with basic exercises. But that really depends on the severity of it. Depending on how bad it is you may be able to macgyver your way into lifting. Like putting the hook on the center of the forearm underneath and doing curls or at the top center and doing tricep press downs. Might be able to do side deltoid lateral raises if you go slow.


You could do chestflys with a pecdeck having your arms at 90 degrees so you don't need to grip anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAOqT-gLlso

Like that but without using your hands.


For legs, hack squat/leg press machine, leg extensions, Smith machine calve raises. Either way you could still work legs very well.

Belt

Straps

Reebok Lite TR (flat sole powerlifting shoe)

Chucks

Adidas Powerlift 3 Oly/squat shoes, 0.6" heel

You can get the 2's and the originals for cheaper if you look around on the internet a little bit more.

Adidas "Adipower" Oly shoes, 0.75" heel

I've heard most people get these for closer to 80-90 dollars, but I don't know where. Wei Rui is also a good brand for heeled Oly/squat shoes and come it a fair bit cheaper, but are not available on Amazon.

As for wraps and sleeves, I've no experience with them so I can't help much.

I have this cap "the boss" bar. Its great for the price. Knurl is not too aggressive

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https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-OB-86PBCK-Lifting-Olympic/dp/B006R4EOXM/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1538601390&sr=1-1&keywords=OB-86PBCK

Will straps help? Or is that still too much gripping? There exist those straps with kind of a hook instead of a piece of cloth to wrap around the bar, maybe that'll work for you.. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Power-Weight-Lifting-Hooks-Weightlifting/dp/B00DVM34NO

Nope, it's the 50lb set plus the 50-70 and 70-90lb expansions bundled together. You'll notice if you go to the main Power Block set page, that's the price of them separately, but if you attempt to buy either the 70lb set or the 90lb set directly from them they end up costing more. I think someone just put together a clever way to bundle them on the site to take advantage of that.

I have this and I fucking love it. Pull ups, dips, rows, etc.

"Hooks onto standard doorways in seconds (24"-32" wide) 300lb maximum user weight."

https://www.amazon.com/Shamrock-Triple-Pullup-Suspension-Door/dp/B0093T6R4C

You can stack up squat stands when not in use, mine seem pretty stable with 300# on them and 95# sitting on each post.

http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Fitness-BD-9-Power-Squat/dp/B006CW02ZS

what you'd need is a Self supporting pull up bar - something like these https://www.gearhungry.com/best-free-standing-pull-up-bars/

You'd need the space to place it in and a couple hundred dollars.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098MAYNY/?tag=gearbeacon-20

I'd suggest looking for a local place that sells and installs (unless you are handy)

I already have a multiple grip pull up bar, but I'm wondering if this is a better upgrade so I can do dips and use the straps as rings. Is it a good idea to purchase this as I learn and prepare for the RR? I believe this bar will cover all the equipment I need for the RR too, right?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0093T6R4C?psc=1

I ended buying a few things because my work schedule doesn't allow me to go to a gym. I wake up at 3:30 am so I can work out. Luckily I have a detached garage so that's where I work out.

Bought this about it the same price from Dick's. I read the reviews that they bar may bend as you get closer to 300 lbs. I have only put 255lbs on it to test DL max.

https://m.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb


I bought this rack for the bench and squat double features. Works great so far no issues. Will be wobbly if you are throwing the weight around but otherwise no issues.

F2C Pair of Adjustable Rack Sturdy Steel Squat Barbell Free Bench Press Stands GYM/Home Gym Portable Dumbbell Racks Stand (one pair/two pcs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018XDH17K?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


This works as a bench. Nothing fancy.

Marcy Flat Utility Weight Bench for Weight Training and Abs Exercises SB-315 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G44X9D6?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


I just bought this 3 months later because my weights were starting to rust a bit. Damn Texas and humidity.
Fitness Reality Olympic Weight Tree/Plate Rack/Bar Holders/Chrome Storage Posts, 1000 lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZBELJ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_n5a6TLPDAevXq

So total cost is $400 all together. Not bad for a home gym. Simple and just what I need. I know in the future I will beat more weights and a new bar but at least this works for now.

I have this guy that's been pretty good to me, however I have a huge issue with the sandbags. They tend to pop and leak sand if you're rough with them, so that's a warning to you.

Otherwise, the vest came with the required weights, is easy to use, and is really a pleasure to wear. Anything above 20 lbs require really strong traps however, because the weight will be sitting on your shoulders. It's not unbearable, but it's uncomfortable for the first few days as you get used to it.

You're right that a Smith machine will really limit you compared to a rack. Personally, I've never felt a safety concern in a full cage.

If you're concerned on price, there's several good options.

Here's a good cage that people seem to like here, though I personally don't have it.

You can get a 300lb weight set including bar at Dicks for $180+tax.

You should be able to find a stationary bike for $200 or so.

Honestly, there's no reason this should all cost above $1000. $200 for weights, $400 for rack, $200 for mats and set up, $200 for other. The question comes up of what things you want in there.

I am looking into buying a free standing pullup bar as well. I have not done too much research, but have been looking into:

• Weider Power Tower
  
  
• Stamina 1690 Power Tower
  
  
• Elite XL
  
  My major concern is that I plan on doing more than just pullups on these. To start, I plan on using a [homemade version of these climbing power balls] (http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Climbing-Training-Power-Balls/dp/B00JJU4ME2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405523170&sr=8-2&keywords=climbing+power+balls) (plan to hang from pullup bar and make them from softballs) and eventually transitioning into rings. My fear is that the power towers will not sustain the power balls or the rings very well as the COG would be lowered significantly.
  
  OP, I looked at the TAPs system, and it seems pretty comparable to the Elite XL model, except that it is taller. I am not sure if that is good or bad, depending on if you plan on indoor/outdoor use. Also, it is WAY more expensive and the shipping is $90 on top of that.
  
  
  

http://www.amazon.com/Leather-Power-Weight-Lifting-Medium/dp/B0028H00HG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1342040689&sr=8-7&keywords=weight+lifting+belt Best bang for the buck. Or if u wanna get serious http://www.inzernet.com/search_results_belts.asp?txtsearchParamTxt=&txtsearchParamCat=8&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&iLevel=1

Just pulled the trigger on this guy: Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage. Anyone here have one?

I was looking at the fitness reality rack, seems to be good value given it has decent reviews. there's a bundle with a bench priced at 310 right now here, apparently rated to 1000 pounds

Walmart also works as well. there's this cheapass shitty gold's set that I was looking at.

I'm going to make the assumption you want to start lifting. It may be wrong, but I'm building off that. So here's the setup I made for about $700. All the racks hold way more than I ever plan to lift, so I should only ever have to buy a few more weights as they wear out over the years.

Powerrack: http://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC

This thing is wonderful. Sturdy as hell, cheap for what it is, and has a pullup bar!

Flat bench: http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S

Least expensive flat bench I could find. It's a little short, but really you only use like 2 feet of it anyways.

Weights: http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10793623

300lbs with an olympic bar. You could easily get your deadlift past that as a novice, but most everything else will probably stall out well below that. The weights are kind of cheap, but 45 lbs is 45 lbs.

That's literally everything you really need to get started doing some nice big lifts. The next thing I'd look at is a cable machine for some iso stuff, but really you can sub in most of those for barbell exercises and such. These 3 items basically make up a whole gym and will last you're whole lifting life unless you get fairly intense about it.

IMPORTANT: The bar you get with the Dick's weight set is kind of crap. It'll hold the 300 lbs probably, but some of the reviews claim it fails around that weight. If you hit the 300 lbs, I would go ahead and buy a nicer bar for about $100 somewhere and use the weights on that. It's a bit of a pain, but it's better than the bar bending and breaking during a 350 lb deadlift on your floor.

you're gonna be hard pressed to find a full cage under that price point.

i used valor fitnessbd-9 power squat stands up until my squat started breaking 300 lbs for reps. after that point, not having full safety bars was getting dicey.

if you're willing to go up to $250, i've been using the fitness reality 810XLT for well over a year, and it's held up beautifully.