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Thread: Pros and Cons of Building a Home Gym

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Manhattan Beach, CA
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    547

    Default Pros and Cons of Building a Home Gym

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    I thought I'd take the opportunity to provide my view of the pros and cons of having my own home gym (though not comparing this to a true black iron or Starting Strength Gym).

    Pros Cons
    No waiting Waiting for 19-year-old girls doing crunches with 25# plates on their abs on the platform.


    No waiting Waiting for people doing pull-ups on power racks when there are specific, usually vacant, dedicated pull-up bars elsewhere.


    No drive to gym Having to drive to gym with concomitant loss of will in the morning.


    Can bring any drink to the platform you feel like whenever you like. No officious employees pointing to the “No Food or Beverages Permitted” sign.


    Garage refrigerator a few feet away No refrigerator


    Have to use liquid chalk. Wife still makes me use liquid chalk.


    No 35# plates to contend with. 35# plates blocking the 45s.


    No pretty girls to distract you. No pretty girls to distract you.


    Can listen to any music you like (in my case the blessed silence of the morning). Having to listen to 70s disco music.


    Can fart whenever you like. Tend to hold farts in or at least try, particularly if there are pretty (or even not-so-pretty girls around.


    No one to interrupt you for stupid stuff when you’re in the middle of a heavy lift. Wife comes downstairs between 4th and 5th rep of a potential PR to remind you to take out the trash. Get’s indignant that you’re even upset about it.


    No one who "needs" to walk around you practically touching you without waiting for you to finish your set. People putting their hands on you to reach for a 2-1/2# plate while you’re struggling with your last heavy squat rep.


    No one talking to you. Some guy accusing me of “showing off”. ME with a 185# squat at the time.


    You can buy whatever equipment you want. It’s always more expensive than you’d thought, especially when building the platform.


    The ability to do different exercises at different times on the same day. See driving and waiting Cons.


    Four day cycles aren't so problematic. See driving Con.


    Doing something you love to do in blessed solitude. Doing something you love to do… alone.


    Taking complete responsibility for doing your own work-outs with virtually no barriers. Not being able to pay others to do your work-outs for you.

    Have I left anything out?

    John

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    North Texas
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    This is fairly comprehensive. Maybe the amusement provided by fools.

  3. #3
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    Jul 2019
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    People watching at a big gym can be entertaining sometimes. Especially the "pioneers" on the cutting edge of making up new exercises. Of course, this i both a pro and a con. It's fun to watch, but being fun to watch means it can distract you.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    This is fairly comprehensive. Maybe the amusement provided by fools.
    That should have been NOT having to use liquid chalk as a pro. Unfortunately well... wives.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
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    Home gym pros:
    -Sleeping between sets
    -Doing woodworking between sets
    -Videotaping lifts unmolested
    -Setting deadlifts down fast
    -Reading without someone asking when I'll be done with the rack
    Starting Strength Indianapolis is up and running. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching session.
    I answer all my emails: ALewis@StartingStrengthGyms.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
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    499

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    There would have been no way to practically do the programme in a City gym for me pre pandemic. The time of day I could get in there, even in an expensive gym you'd be queueing for the rack then the bench. Home gym has changed everything, I can even take short calls between sets and now miss zero workouts.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
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    809

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    Points 1&8 are the most substantial cons to consider.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2019
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    My wife once, uh, interrupted me between my squats and my deadlifts. So that's something to take into account on the home gym front.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
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    70

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    I hated myself less (for not lifting) before I had a home gym...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Manhattan Beach, CA
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by RKC View Post
    I hated myself less (for not lifting) before I had a home gym...
    That one definitely goes on the next iteration.

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