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Thread: Garage gym suggestions and uneven floors at the gym

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2022
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    29

    Default Garage gym suggestions and uneven floors at the gym

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    Hello all,

    I am wanting to obtain suggestions for equipment for a garage gym. The only good gym near me is a good 35 minute drive one way, and I only use the “power lifting platform.” I use to go just so I could workout with my friends, but I since started back on starting strength. The reason, it works. I see the gym as less of a social hour now. Plus I would rather just workout at home and not have to deal with other people.

    Anyway, I have a 2 car garage that I do keep my cars parked in. I have seen advertisements for equipment that can be folded to save room, but with anything I do in life, I research. Can anyone suggest a garage setup that can be stored in a way to still use the garage as intended? I don’t mind moving cars out of the way to do a training session. I’m only concerned with doing the novice linear progression at this point.

    Also. This is probably over picky, but is there any real concerns if the gym I do go to has an uneven floor? It’s small, but it’s noticeable on setup. The floor angles down and up slightly. Which I think is from people dropping the weights so damn much. When I set up for deadlifts, the bar will roll until it finds equilibrium amongst the floor. So I may have to set up with the bar being angled perpendicularly to the rest of the gym, or I’ll spend a while trying to keep the bar perfectly straight with my Jedi powers.

    Thank you all, and add 5 pounds.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
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    Garage of GainzZz
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    3,297

    Default

    Rogue has a wide assortment of folding wall-mounted racks. They neatly fold away so that you can reclaim your garage. I have one and have used them in two separate garages to great success. The only problem is the junk in there taking up the space a car should go and preventing using the rack.

    Try using a small plate, say 5 pounds, to steady your rolling bar. A little bit of uneven won't kill you.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    370

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    The garage floor has been discussed many time, try searching to see all the previous answers. Basically you need to squat and deadlift with the bar parallel to the garage door opening. Otherwise you will need to build a platform and shim it to level. By code garage floors are sloped about 1 to 2% towards the door. One of the dirty little secrets of garage gyms, hahaha.

    Regarding racks, the Sorinex Off Grid rack may be of interest.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Chicago, Illinois
    Posts
    25

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    I am not sure where you live, but if you live somewhere, where the cold will affect you, definitely look into some small electric heaters. I use some for my garage and they are efficient and do not use too much energy. The other option is looking up what Bill Starr did in the cold and that works as well. Prepare before it gets too cold cause lifting in the cold can cause injury if not managed correctly and just sucks in general.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    Winter Springs, FL
    Posts
    159

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    How long are your cars? I don't have a folding rack but I can park my Miata just fine with it in place.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oso Rojo View Post
    The garage floor has been discussed many time, try searching to see all the previous answers. Basically you need to squat and deadlift with the bar parallel to the garage door opening. Otherwise you will need to build a platform and shim it to level. By code garage floors are sloped about 1 to 2% towards the door. One of the dirty little secrets of garage gyms, hahaha.
    I had my gym setup the "wrong" way for like a year before I knew this and I never suffered any ill effects of which I'm aware. Hopefully it doesn't turn out that this causes brain cancer.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    389

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pekker_head View Post
    Hello all,

    I am wanting to obtain suggestions for equipment for a garage gym. The only good gym near me is a good 35 minute drive one way, and I only use the “power lifting platform.” I use to go just so I could workout with my friends, but I since started back on starting strength. The reason, it works. I see the gym as less of a social hour now. Plus I would rather just workout at home and not have to deal with other people.

    Anyway, I have a 2 car garage that I do keep my cars parked in. I have seen advertisements for equipment that can be folded to save room, but with anything I do in life, I research. Can anyone suggest a garage setup that can be stored in a way to still use the garage as intended? I don’t mind moving cars out of the way to do a training session. I’m only concerned with doing the novice linear progression at this point.

    Also. This is probably over picky, but is there any real concerns if the gym I do go to has an uneven floor? It’s small, but it’s noticeable on setup. The floor angles down and up slightly. Which I think is from people dropping the weights so damn much. When I set up for deadlifts, the bar will roll until it finds equilibrium amongst the floor. So I may have to set up with the bar being angled perpendicularly to the rest of the gym, or I’ll spend a while trying to keep the bar perfectly straight with my Jedi powers.

    Thank you all, and add 5 pounds.
    Hey, just spitballing here, but I have this problem too, and I’m deadlifting on a platform. I wonder if it isn’t due to casting problems with the plates. You know, like when you are balancing a wheel?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    164

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    I have two 6'x8' platforms along the back wall of my garage that haven't prevented me from parking two cars in it. My deadlift platform has the 8' section parallel to the wall and the power rack has the 6' section parallel to the back wall.

    I bought a used Rogue platform with 12 tiles for $250 in 2020. I was planning on putting a single 4' x 6' mat under the rack, but ended up with a free Rogue platform minus some of the tiles when the commercial gym I belong to was changing equipment. Although a single 8'x 8' platform is great, a 4'x8' platform in front of one bay and a rack or squat stand in front of the second might work. Squat stands can be moved when not in use.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2022
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    29

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    Quote Originally Posted by EdTice View Post
    How long are your cars? I don't have a folding rack but I can park my Miata just fine with it in place.

    I had my gym setup the "wrong" way for like a year before I knew this and I never suffered any ill effects of which I'm aware. Hopefully it doesn't turn out that this causes brain cancer.
    It’s a Toyota Corolla and a Mazda CX-5

    So I researched the free standing squat stands some more, and they give me concerns on stability.

    So we are moving and the new garage is slightly bigger than my current one. I’ve decided to go with the PRX fold up rack. Although the idea of slamming 315 into the uprights while they are connected to one of my walls also makes me nervous lol.

    And for the plate idea goes, that actually sounds plausible in my mind.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    164

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    Sounds like a great choice. Although I'm old and weak, I'm tall enough that reracking a squat with the pins near the top of a mobile squat stand always makes me a bit uncomfortable.

    Another, not necessarily better, option is to bolt a squat stand to a small platform or garage floor. Although there are less expensive alternatives, Rogue has base floor mounting feet that can be used with squat stands. When the spotter arms are removed, stands don't take up much room. Also, part of a car can extend over the end of the stand if space is very tight.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    Winter Springs, FL
    Posts
    159

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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Pekker_head View Post
    It’s a Toyota Corolla and a Mazda CX-5

    So I researched the free standing squat stands some more, and they give me concerns on stability.

    So we are moving and the new garage is slightly bigger than my current one. I’ve decided to go with the PRX fold up rack. Although the idea of slamming 315 into the uprights while they are connected to one of my walls also makes me nervous lol.

    And for the plate idea goes, that actually sounds plausible in my mind.
    I don't have the PRx rack because as you can see in the posts above, I can fit a regular rack and two cars in my garage. However, I have no fear of attaching things to walls. The PRx comes with hardware to attach to two studs (which limits placement somewhat). Walking 315 (or more) into that isn't very scary. Even less so if you have cinder block walls and can attach with tapcon screws. You don't really "slam" squats into the uprights or at least I hope you don't. Benches hit the uprights harder than squats. The 315 generates more vertical force obviously but fold-out racks need to be touching the ground when they are in use! The weight isn't hanging in the air. Your body weight + 315 walking will still generate less horizontal force than somebody who drunkenly walks quickly into the wall!

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