Garage Gym Equipment

[Kevin Lee]

Hi Andy,

Not a programming question but you seem like the best guy to ask about this.

I'm looking to expand my home gym with some new equipment. Beyond the basics of barbell, bench, power rack and plates, what would you rate the following equipment (or other pieces you think of) in terms of which is most useful if you are using your powerbuilding routine? And would it differ much with a more purely strength based program?


-adjustable bench (incline/decline)
-bench with leg curl/extension attachment
-10-50lb dumbells
-55-100+lb dumbells
-high pulley tower (lat pulldown)
-low pulley
-dip/chin tower
-specialty bars (camber bar, ez curl, fat bar, trap bar etc)
-smith machine
-old school nautilus pullover machine (just kidding...kind of)
-leg press
-hack squat machine

I already have some of this equipment but I am sure there are lots of guys in my position and I think your insight in this would be appreciated by many!

Thank you.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

1. Incline Bench I definitely recommend, decline not necessary. You can prop the end of a flat bench up on mats/wood to create a slight decline which is all you need if you want to do them. I have a video coming out soon where I do this with dumbbells. I don't like a really steep decline, I'd rather you just did Dips
2. Those leg curl / ext attachments are usually pieces of shit and the ergonomics suck.
3. Dumbbells always useful to have
4. Lat Pulldown - preferred but not necessary if you can bang out a bunch of chins
5. Chin / Dips - yes. Or you can use the chin bar on your rack or set the barbell at the highest pin setting and do chins from there. Some racks now have Dip attachments you can buy, if not, a dip stand is useful
6. EZ curl bar for triceps - yes. Camber Bar for GMs if you want to do them. Others are not necessary but can add variety.
7. No Smith Machine out of principle
8. FUCK YES NAUTILUS PULLOVER. I'm serious. I love that thing. No one has gotten it right since the 70s. I'd buy one for my gym if they weren't as big as a Mini-Van.
9. Leg Press - useful way to add leg volume without destroying yourself
10. Hack Squat - useful way to add leg volume while destroying yourself. I like Hack Squats quite a bit actually in terms of pure quad development, but they are a bitch on the knees. If you were actually bodybuilding competitively I'd almost say its a must, but not for most guys training recreationally.

[Kevin Lee]

Good stuff thanks Andy.

I love doing leg curls and extensions but I know what you're saying about those shitty half assed bench ones I've always found them uncomfortable but I thought maybe that was just me. I guess the only other option in getting the real deal.

How about glute ham raise machines? I forgot to include that on the list and I think it might be near the top of my next purchase if you think they're worth it. I've never actually used one.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I like glute-ham raises but I always had problems in my knees after doing them. I decided a while back that the risk wasn't worth the reward and I quit doing them. Leg Curl / Leg Ext are pretty much functionally useless in terms of strength development. For bodybuilding purposes, they can be useful for blood volume type training. This will help with growth but only in an already well developed muscle that was built on Squats and Deads, etc.

If I was going to buy them I'd invest into good ones though. The cheap garage gym ones are worthless. Legend Fitness has a plate loaded leg curl and leg extension combo machine that I have heard is pretty good and I think it's like $800-900. The problem with plate loaded leg curls is that once you get past about halfway, the tension goes away. Maybe they have improved the design. Legend usually makes good stuff.

[Kevin Lee]

Thanks Andy that gives me lots to think about.
Probably going to look at a leg press or a good ext/curl machine. Would be nice to get some extra leg volume in without hammering the low back.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Another option is just to incorporate a bunch of sled dragging or pushing. Pretty much negates the need for alot of lower body assistance work (i.e. anything other than Squats/Deads/and their variations) unless you are considering competing in physique or you just really like to train that way.

[Kevin Lee]

Not doing any physique at all, but I do like training that way.
I love the idea of a sled but I have absolutely no where to run it at my place. I had considered putting a concrete runway on or building an offroad wheeled version of a sled but that also makes sled evening training from November to March shitty...especially after working outside all day in the rain and snow.
I like that legend stuff, they have some cool options which leads me to my last question:
Is there a much of a difference between a hack squat machine and leg press machine? Seems like they would have the same effect. I have used a leg press a number of years ago. Never used a hack squat machine. Which has more general use?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Hack Squats are far higher on the Brutality Scale but they can be rough on the knees. For that reason, I'd say Leg Presses have more general use. Easier on the knees and more useful for a wider audience. Leg Presses easier to recover from if you want to add a little bit of additional volume to your Squats and Deads without killing yourself. Hack Squats will wreck your quads the first time you do them. And probably the 100th time you do them as well.

[Rob Israel]

Hey Andy, I was concerned about you, your gym and your friends and family in Houston. Hope you're doing OK.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

My home and gym are ok. All of Houston proper is basically fucked (I'm about 30 miles north of downtown Houston). Parts of Kingwood are now flooding with the San Jacinto River cresting its banks.

The looters are now moving into Houston and pillaging the flooded homes. I need to sight in my .30-06 before deer season, so I might take a day trip....