A power rack, bar, plates, and flat bench should do it. Anything else is just a nice extra. (You can do chin-ups off the rack as well.)
Hi,
What are the absolute basics I should purchase for a home garage gym suited for SS/Strength Training for a family setting?
I was thinking of a power rack - which would have a dip attachment and a pull up bar -, one bar or two, plates, and a rower so I could follow SS, and also reuse the equipment for other exercises so my family can use them in the future, and also justify the expense?
I suppose the wife would use it for trimming up/weight loss, and the kids - more towards an athletics based approach.
notetaker
A power rack, bar, plates, and flat bench should do it. Anything else is just a nice extra. (You can do chin-ups off the rack as well.)
There's no reason why your wife and kids (assuming they're say... 14+) would benefit from SS any less than you would. In fact, it would probably have an even better impact on them than it does on you since the kids are young and would thus have more years to enjoy the benefits and your wife because (on average) women are even more undermuscled than men are and they are also more judged on appearance (well depending on where you live).
(Also, there are already several threads on this topic around here (as you might imagine). )
I went pretty minimalist. I only have a squat rack, safety spotter arms, bar, plates, bumpers, and a flat bench. I already had an over the door pull-up bar, but I ended up getting a good one to mount from the ceiling of my garage. A power rack would have been fine for doing chins if I had enough clearance in my basement.
I added these things to some hex dumbbells, an Inzer belt, and other miscellaneous equipment that I already had, but you really only need a place to squat and a bench to lie on with your bar and plates of choice. And don't forget some type of padding like horse stall mats.
I got most of my equipment through Rogue.
Other things I've added along the way are rings and a dip/chin belt from Rogue.
Last edited by yorick; 08-05-2012 at 01:10 AM.
I got a Rogue S1 squat stand with spotter arms.
Not quite as safe as a full 4-post rack, but cheaper and fits in my low-ceilinged basement.
Good bar from Rogue, plates and cheapo bar from craigslist.
I do my pressing in the back yard with the cheapo bar (ceiling again).
And I already had a doorway pullup bar, $29 from amazon.
Probably the very first thing a good, heavy duty bar. Don't skimp on this one. Probably the most important purchase. As the previous posters have mention....power rack, plates and flat bench. When I had a garage, power rack. Now an apartment, in the 2nd room, portable squat stands.
Notetaker888, what is your budget for this?
I recommend a power rack, a 2" bar, at least 300lbs of 2" Olympic sized weight plates, and a flat bench. All of this stuff is regularly for sale dirt cheap on Craigslist if you have a little patience. Sometimes it can be as little as .25c/lbs. Other things that are nice to have are adjustable dumbbells(also often cheap on Craigslist), and bumper plates(rarely ever found cheap or on Craigslist).
With that equipment you'll be able to go quite a long way into your training.
I've been using the same 2 cheapo bars for years. They're both visibly bent (1 was bent when I got it free, the other I did myself) but they both hold up just fine. I want to buy a nice new bar, but I've never needed it. I'd rather some spend a limited budget on a good rack.
I used to say the same thing until I got my Rogue power bar. While my power rack was a great investment I don't think it was any more of a better investment than a good bar. There are a few decent racks on amazon for under $500 shipped. I got the Deltech Fitness one for $415 shipped and while it might not be the best one out there it is certainly good enough for a home gym. The Deltech flat bench is a good one too for $99 shipped. It has a 750 pound capacity and is very solid.