Garage gyms

[Randy Scheingold]

I am moving from the city (Chicago) to the burbs and bought a new construction house with a basement that has 8+ foot ceilings. time for a home gym!!! Note: I lift in a black iron gym (B&W) and love it. But with 3 kids and a demanding job...and 2+ hour heavy day workouts, it can be very trying on the home front to carve out time for the gym. I've been reading the garage gym forum for years, and am in the process of re-reading it from the beginning...but that will take me some time.

Here is my proposed gym...I'm open for comments or changes:

Note: I only do the basics.... Squat, Press, DL, Bench, Rows, Curls

1) Rogue R3 (sticking with pin/bar safeties to save money)
2) home built platform (need to keep that new concrete slab nice)
3) Ohio Power Bar (already have one)
4) Rogue utility bench
5) Rogue Machined Olympic Plates...4 pairs of 45s + 25s + two 10s + 5s + 2.5s (already have microplates)
6) Deadlift Jack
7) Adjustable Monolift + Infinity add on thingee....(for Bench lift offs)
8) B&R bar (for Rows and when the OHP gets too gnarly...plus to allow for warm ups of Press/Bench while finishing squats
9) Rogue Curl Bar (an extravagance...I know)
10) Rogue Color Echo Plates (45s & 35s & 25s) for Rows...and in case I ever want to try fast lifts again
11) Rogue plate tree (with the wheels)

Comments/Feedback?

A) Anyone with experience with the monolift attachment for benching? Does it help similar to a lift off?
B) thoughts on Rogue Machined Plates vs Calibrated? I am thinking machined more for usability vs cost. Harder to grip calibrated + new plate math needed...due to 55lbs
C) I was debating nicer bumpers...but for Rows only...Echo should be fine, right????

Thanks all! I'll post pictures in a month or so when I move in and get it all purchased/set up.

[A Schenck]

I think you are on the right track going with machined plates over the calibrated. Big cost difference for what benefit? If you are lifting on your own equipment the plates are always the same. Even if you are +- 1lb you will be completely consistent workout to workout.

Why are you leaning toward the wheeled plate tree? This guy (CAP Barbell 1-Inch Standard Plate Rack) regularly goes on sale down into the $35 range. You could wait for a sale and get two (one for each side of your rack).

[Randy Scheingold]

Thanks for the tip on the plate tree. Great point, that is a great area where I can save a 100 bucks and have no loss in quality of the equipment that matters.

[Chris Griffith]

Thanks for the tip on the plate tree. Great point, that is a great area where I can save a 100 bucks and have no loss in quality of the equipment that matters.

The linked plate tree is for standard (1") plates, but there is also one on Amazon for Olympic plates. However, personal preference, but I don't like A-frame plate trees--you have to lift the plates at an angle and can't easily load/unload bigger plates one-handed. The Rogue plate tree is probably a little overpriced, but I much prefer that style (although I prefer on-rack storage even more). Rep fitness has a similar one for a bit less that's probably functionally identical.

Everything else you've listed looks good to me. For the deadlift jack check out Titan. Its normally about $100 cheaper and I got mine on sale for even less. Its identical to the Rogue version. I'd probably also go with a Titan rack over the R3. I've had my Titan T-3 for about 2 years and its been great. For the price difference you can get strap safeties, spotter arms, etc. or get a full 6-post rack with plate storage. But I get why you might prefer the Rogue brand and aesthetics.

[Jeff Illingworth]

Does anyone have any experience with the York Pro Series 204 Squat Rack? I'm looking for a cheap, lighter duty squat stand.

[Adam Skillin]

The linked plate tree is for standard (1") plates, but there is also one on Amazon for Olympic plates. However, personal preference, but I don't like A-frame plate trees--you have to lift the plates at an angle and can't easily load/unload bigger plates one-handed. The Rogue plate tree is probably a little overpriced, but I much prefer that style (although I prefer on-rack storage even more). Rep fitness has a similar one for a bit less that's probably functionally identical.

Everything else you've listed looks good to me. For the deadlift jack check out Titan. Its normally about $100 cheaper and I got mine on sale for even less. Its identical to the Rogue version. I'd probably also go with a Titan rack over the R3. I've had my Titan T-3 for about 2 years and its been great. For the price difference you can get strap safeties, spotter arms, etc. or get a full 6-post rack with plate storage. But I get why you might prefer the Rogue brand and aesthetics.

As long as the distance between the posts t is sufficient for the plates, a standard-plate post and olympic plates is much easier to deal with than when you have 2" posts. I think A Schenk probably posted the version he did on purpose.

[Chris Griffith]

As long as the distance between the posts t is sufficient for the plates, a standard-plate post and olympic plates is much easier to deal with than when you have 2" posts. I think A Schenk probably posted the version he did on purpose.

Oh. In that case, that's pretty smart and addresses my issue with difficulty loading the Olympic A-frame plate tree.

[c17guy]

The linked plate tree is for standard (1") plates, but there is also one on Amazon for Olympic plates. However, personal preference, but I don't like A-frame plate trees--you have to lift the plates at an angle and can't easily load/unload bigger plates one-handed. The Rogue plate tree is probably a little overpriced, but I much prefer that style (although I prefer on-rack storage even more). Rep fitness has a similar one for a bit less that's probably functionally identical.

Everything else you've listed looks good to me. For the deadlift jack check out Titan. Its normally about $100 cheaper and I got mine on sale for even less. Its identical to the Rogue version. I'd probably also go with a Titan rack over the R3. I've had my Titan T-3 for about 2 years and its been great. For the price difference you can get strap safeties, spotter arms, etc. or get a full 6-post rack with plate storage. But I get why you might prefer the Rogue brand and aesthetics.

I second the Titan deadlift jack. Black Friday, $66 shipped. For plate storage if you have poured concrete walls you might look at mounting the weights on the wall. I got plate storage from Wright Equipment then mounted them with Tapcons. I have almost the exact same set of plates as you are looking at, except the York milled plates and a few extra 25s and 10s. They all fit on the wall and having the 45's at waist height makes loading way easier.

[Randy Scheingold]

Thanks for the tips guys. If I get my plate tree & deadlift jack from Titan...I can save about 150 bucks...and that pays for my 45lb echo bumpers. also, I noticed if I get the B&R bar as an odd on to the R3, you get a free bar of collars thrown in. So another few bucks saved.

[Ethan Thibaudeau]

1) Rogue R3 (sticking with pin/bar safeties to save money)
5) Rogue Machined Olympic Plates...4 pairs of 45s + 25s + two 10s + 5s + 2.5s (already have microplates)
10) Rogue Color Echo Plates (45s & 35s & 25s) for Rows...and in case I ever want to try fast lifts again

If you swap to straps (as I did) you'll save the cost of the pin/pipes, so the upgrade is less than the cost of the straps by themselves. I really like them to protect my bars, as well as the adjustability of effectively half inch increments (one side moved 1in). They also make for a softer landing on rack pulls. Only drawback is they don't play nice with the extra height of sandwich J cups specifically for bench.

I'm slowly selling off my old 45's for Rogue Machined 45's. I think they're a good compromise between cheaper stuff and calibrated weights. They are also deep dish, so they are easier to handle than the calibrated ones. Tight fit on the barbell sleeve is great for deadlifts.

You could save some money with a single set of 35 or 45lb Echo's for rows, just add the smaller steel change plates on the outside.