Garage gyms

[Notrhwoods]

My basement getaway:



Rack and weights for $600 off craigslist. Mats were $20 each from Tractor Supply. Creepy dungeon atmosphere came with the house.

How thick are the Tractor Supply mats? Is that all that separates your iron from concrete on deadlifts? My current setup has me deadlifting with nothing but a piece of plywood below each end of the barbell on concrete.

[Notrhwoods]

Picked up the Airdyne... I lovingly refer to it as the Devil's Tricycle.

I never knew what an Airdyne was before seeing this picture. It looks like an elliptical with a seat to me. How do you work it into your strength training program?

I have an elliptical (my father-in-law sells them) and need to figure out how to keep it from collecting dust. LOL

[trapntan]

How thick are the Tractor Supply mats? Is that all that separates your iron from concrete on deadlifts? My current setup has me deadlifting with nothing but a piece of plywood below each end of the barbell on concrete.

I think 3/4"? They're fucking heavy, and don't fit well in the back of my van. I don't drop anything from any real height, but I set deads down a little quickly. In the long run I'd like to get some 3/4 plywood underneath just for some insurance, because the floor is in really good shape.

[Notrhwoods]

I think 3/4"? They're fucking heavy, and don't fit well in the back of my van. I don't drop anything from any real height, but I set deads down a little quickly. In the long run I'd like to get some 3/4 plywood underneath just for some insurance, because the floor is in really good shape.

Thanks. I think I am going to shoot for your same goal of one layer of plywood with the mats on top. I think the whole hardwood platform thing is unnecessary for me since I don't train any of the quick lifts.

[hollismb]

Yes, they're 3/4" thick (link here). They're all I have covering the entire floor in my gym, which is a very common setup in Crossfit gyms (home and facility examples from Rogue's site). They do a great job of protecting the floor.

It's also the same material you use to protect the plywood on a homemade lifting platform, and is still thicker than most of the floor covering you'd see in a regular Globo Gym.

Here's a video as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpwHVX04hHU

[Bryan Dobson]

I never knew what an Airdyne was before seeing this picture. It looks like an elliptical with a seat to me. How do you work it into your strength training program?

I have an elliptical (my father-in-law sells them) and need to figure out how to keep it from collecting dust. LOL

The airdyne is a bad ass and simple piece of equipment. The faster you go the more resistance is added due to the fan speed.its A real cool way to do intervals or straight up conditioning. An elliptical will work but it is not as cool and you have to input your resistance, and if you get strong....you can overcome the resistance mechanism on them, I broke the one at my work gym doing intervals

[Notrhwoods]

The airdyne is a bad ass and simple piece of equipment. The faster you go the more resistance is added due to the fan speed.its A real cool way to do intervals or straight up conditioning. An elliptical will work but it is not as cool and you have to input your resistance, and if you get strong....you can overcome the resistance mechanism on them, I broke the one at my work gym doing intervals

Thanks. That's a pretty cool concept that the harder you push the greater the resistance. I have always wondered if you could break an elliptical by going too hard, I guess its true! Luckily the one I've got is built like a tank and the highest level has me spinning slow as hell.

[Notrhwoods]

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[Cody]

Thanks. That's a pretty cool concept that the harder you push the greater the resistance. I have always wondered if you could break an elliptical by going too hard, I guess its true! Luckily the one I've got is built like a tank and the highest level has me spinning slow as hell.

Bryan summed it up. I use it for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It's the most efficient conditioning modality, and it is best done on one of these, a Concept2 rower, or a Prowler. I prefer 2x a week, Tuesday and Saturday for me (I lift HLM on M-W-F).

[Cody]

Essentially the squat of conditioning. I keep meaning to get one, the weather will be a good excuse.

Basically, lol. Craig's List is your friend. I traded some old adjustable dumbbells for mine. You should be able to pick up one of the big-fan models for $150-300, depending on if it has a digital or analog monitor and condition. I don't use the monitor at all, fwiw. Just go balls-to-the-wall on the sprints.