Home Gym Costs?

[gtl]

although it's not as nicely finished as the Rogue R-whatever.

Mostly this. It was $400 shipped to my door. Sorry, but the Rogue finish to me isn't worth 2x the price. Not on my budget.

The rack isn't perfect, and the finish is cheap (paint that has chipped a little), but the rack is good. Check out my training log for videos of it in use.

[BarryF]

I'm really happy with my rack for what I spent. $417 shipped. I think its the best non-bolt down rack that I could find in its price range. It is 2.5" tubing, and weighs 160 or so lbs...so seems to be heavier duty than most of the cheaper racks. Also has stainless safeties, which I like. Came with two sets of bar holders, plus a third set that are made onto the safeties. It is not very tall, so you can't press inside of it, but I have low ceilings and can't use a taller rack. Also comes with four plate storage pegs(two of which are useable) Cons...bar holders are not J-hooks, so bar rolls around on them, but not a deal breaker.

Valor Fitness BD-11. Got that price from Live-well sports I think it was.

Other than the convenience of lifting at home, which I think is worth the investment, the cost is easily justified. Figure up the cost of gym membership, plus how many miles you drive back and forth to the gym over the course of a month. A years worth of gas and gym membership probably funds a $1000 start up home gym.

[Adam Skillin]

I amazes me how little a kick-ass rack and bench cost compared to a mid-line treadmill.

And how many more things you can do with them, and how effective they are in comparison. Somebody should write a book, start a website, and then go around giving interviews and writing articles about it.

[Kyle Schuant]

This thread on garage gyms may prove useful.

[BarryF]

For ~$2500, one can set up a commercial-quality home gym. I'm in the midst of budgeting this currently.

I amazes me how little a kick-ass rack and bench cost compared to a mid-line treadmill.

Yeah, but with the commercial quality home gym you can't do LISS cardio for an hour while watching TV like you can with the treadmill. And the treadmill allows you to walk or jog, which you of course otherwise can't do. Duh.

[Nick Klemetson]

I heard they made a lot of improvements in response to the early negative comments people had about it, and that people are highly satisfied with it now, although it's not as nicely finished as the Rogue R-whatever.

From what I could tell, the only improvement they made was the pin-pipe safeties, which indeed seemed like a big deal. Perhaps gtl can site some others.

Mostly this. It was $400 shipped to my door. Sorry, but the Rogue finish to me isn't worth 2x the price. Not on my budget.

The rack isn't perfect, and the finish is cheap (paint that has chipped a little), but the rack is good. Check out my training log for videos of it in use.

People have made a big deal about the rubber on the hooks as well. Your thoughts? Does the screw that holds it down really mess up your bar, or are people just over reacting? It seems one could just take a screwdriver and screw it in deeper themselves so it's under the rubber.

[gtl]

From what I could tell, the only improvement they made was the pin-pipe safeties, which indeed seemed like a big deal. Perhaps gtl can site some others.



People have made a big deal about the rubber on the hooks as well. Your thoughts? Does the screw that holds it down really mess up your bar, or are people just over reacting? It seems one could just take a screwdriver and screw it in deeper themselves so it's under the rubber.

The j-hooks suck compared to Rogue's, but you can buy Rogue's if you want. Or, you can tighten the screws, and even put some electric tape around it if you want. My bar hasn't gotten any more screwed up from the j-hooks than it would from doing work off the pins.

[Adam Skillin]

The j-hooks suck compared to Rogue's, but you can buy Rogue's if you want. Or, you can tighten the screws, and even put some electric tape around it if you want. My bar hasn't gotten any more screwed up from the j-hooks than it would from doing work off the pins.

Couldn't you just take out the screws, put some thread lock stuff on them, and then re-tighten them and be done with it?

[asmuts]

I can't tell for sure, but the Titan j-hooks look to have a raised weld on the inside vertical wall.



Is this the problem you are referring to?

I bought some NY Barbell j-hooks a while back to replace the awful hooks in my cheap rack. The new ones have the same issue as the Titans. I have black j-hook. They look similar to these.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/9257.html



And the weld on the side piece sits out a little too far.

This damages the knurling on my bars. I put 2 layers of heavy duty velcro over the inside cup. It seems to work for now. I've considered gluing some uhmv in there. . . . The uhmv lined Rogue hooks look far, far better.

I also put some pvc over my metal safety pins. The bar is much happier now.

[Adam Skillin]

I can't tell for sure, but the Titan j-hooks look to have a raised weld on the inside vertical wall.



Is this the problem you are referring to?

I bought some NY Barbell j-hooks a while back to replace the awful hooks in my cheap rack. The new ones have the same issue as the Titans. I have black j-hook. They look similar to these.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/9257.html



And the weld on the side piece sits out a little too far.

This damages the knurling on my bars. I put 2 layers of heavy duty velcro over the inside cup. It seems to work for now. I've considered gluing some uhmv in there. . . . The uhmv lined Rogue hooks look far, far better.

I also put some pvc over my metal safety pins. The bar is much happier now.

No, we're talking about the higher end Titan rack, which comes with UHMW on the hooks. The screws that hold the UHMW in apparently loosen and damage the bar.