Garage gym

[Agilic]

I've been out of the strength training game for a couple of years due to lack of time. I have been itching to get back under the bar for a while now, and my wife just surprised me with a Rogue RML-3W Wall Mount Rack! Having a home gym was really the only solution given my situation.

My question is, how should I finish setting up my garage gym? We have a two car garage which gets used year round with 2 cars, so I am planning on putting the rack on a side wall and pulling out my car when I lift.

Barbell - I believe this is where I should splurge, and plan on ordering a good quality new one that will last for life (any recommendations off of the Rogue site?). Definitely do not want another thing to maintain so a no maintenance one is vastly preferred.

Weights - Should I splurge for bumper plates? Don't really plan on getting into Oly lifting (any time soon if ever), but would bumper plates be better to not get damaged or do damage to the garage floor? Which brings me to my next 2 questions......

1) What is good to lay down on the garage floor? Something off of the Rogue site or something from Home Depot? My car will need to be able to roll over and park on it as well.

2) It doesn't look like this wall mounted rack has any spotter arms? Are there spotter arms that would fit into here? If not, what would be the best way to fail a squat? I've only ever squatted inside of a rack. Would bumper plates help with this?

Bench - I saw that Rogue has one for around $200. Worth buying a nice one or will any old flat bench work?

I know that's a ton of questions, but I appreciate any help answering these or any other general advice related to putting together a garage gym!

I've been reading these forums for a while, and look forward to getting my setup complete and starting a log.

edit: I hope I put this in the correct forum

[manveer]

Congratulations on the new rack!

There are quite a few home gym threads on the forum. If you enter these terms into a google search you should get a lot of useful info:
home gym site:startingstrength.com
garage gym site:startingstrength.com

Here's a good thread to start with: http://startingstrength.com/resource...rage-gyms.html

Barbell - lots of people like the Rogue Ohio Power Bar if you're not doing olympic lifts. Here's a thread about barbells: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ells-ones.html

Bumper plates will help protect your garage floor if you'll be deadlifting heavy without a platform. 3/4" horse stall mats from tractor supply would be something sturdy to lay down on the floor that you could still park on (or move out of the way...though a 4'x6' size weighs about 100 pounds). You could make some kind of platform that you could disassemble and move out of the way as well. Hopefully your garage floor is flat and level. Of course the downside the bumpers is the cost and - unless you splurge for competition bumpers - the amount of loadable sleeve length they take up.

These spotter arms are available for the wall mounted rack: Set of Safety Spotter Arms - Weight Training Safety - Rogue Fitness

The Rogue flat bench is sweet.

[Austin Baraki]

Manveer nailed it.

Ohio Power bar ($250), A few 4x6 Horse Stall mats ($40 each) from tractor supply Co., Rogue bench ($175), and Iron plates (can get used for cheap, $0.50-0.75/lb).

[Nick Klemetson]

That's a great gift from your wife!

I agree with just about everything Manveer said. Since you have to park your car on your "platform," I'd just settle for a single 4x6 stall mat.

And the Ohio Power Bar is great. If you want it to be "maintenance free," get the zinc coated one and not the bare steel one.

[Agilic]

Thanks all! Especially manveer. That certainly made it easy for me. I very much look forward to getting under the bar again and becoming a contributing member to this great forum!

[Oldman]

I want to throw my support for the suggestions to buy the Ohio Power Bar (zinc) and the Rogue utility bench. Both are awesome. Spotter arms are critical.

[hollismb]

If you want it to be "maintenance free," get the zinc coated one and not the bare steel one.

True, but bare steel feels better in the hands, and sticks better on the back. And that zinc coating is going to chip and wear off eventually anyway.

[idlehands]

That's a great gift from your wife!

I agree with just about everything Manveer said. Since you have to park your car on your "platform," I'd just settle for a single 4x6 stall mat.

And the Ohio Power Bar is great. If you want it to be "maintenance free," get the zinc coated one and not the bare steel one.

I've had zinc coated since dec and already have silver where it wore through the black. Get the bare steel

[Nate7out]

I've had zinc coated since dec and already have silver where it wore through the black. Get the bare steel

Agreed. There are bare spots between the knurling where my legs contact for the deadlift. The black on the sleeves is completely worn off. It's been 1 year.

[idlehands]

Agreed. There are bare spots between the knurling where my legs contact for the deadlift. The black on the sleeves is completely worn off. It's been 1 year.

Blackmon sleeves is Ohio bar. Ohio power bar is a better bar and has no option for Black on sleeves. Buddies west side bar hasn't worn yet. It's only one month newer than mine. Course that thing is so sharp you avoid legs at all costs