I'm buying a home gym--would you help me with picking what's best ?

[chip douglas]

Hi all,

I've already got an olympic bar + plates and dumbells + bench, but this is not enough and I want to get more of a complete setup.

I'm very big on sturdiness and whatever I get I want something that's not going to fall apart after 5 years have elapsed.


I've visited a good deal of manufacturers on the web and in real life too, so here are the options I've been shown :

HOIST Fitness Systems - Commercial quality gyms for your home or office. This is kind of a nice setup and I've actually spend part of today's afternoon training with it in the showroom of the commercial wholesaler I've visited. Having said that, I was told by some clerk at Fitness Depot that Hoist is only design but low quality--is this true ? I've noticed the above setup has a max weight capability of 570 lbs which I find to be on the low side for max weight capability of the rack. I'm not familiar with this brand enough to make any comment as far as durability and reliability, so maybe some of you can help.

Body-Solid Series 7 Smith Gym - Overview - Commercial Freeweight - Commercial Rated - Exercise Products - Fitness Factory I wa shown this setup by Body solid too, but later found out it's max weight capability to be 600 lbs. As far as bench press, I know I won't go as heavy as 600 lbs, but as for squats there's a possibility I can go up to 600 lbs, so a 600 lbs rack doesn't sound like a good pick to me.


Then I was shown Keys Fitness : Racks Strength Keys Fitness | Treadmill, Bike, Elliptical, Strength Equipment in this link there are two options available to me :

1. a full cage + 250 lbs selectorized weight stack
2. Half cage + 250 lbs selectorized weight stack


Keys Fitness' racks shown above can hold up to 750 lbs, which is already much better.


I was also shown actual powerlifting racks at $1000--those are really really heavy and sturdy like crazy.

I'm not totally into powerlifting, but still like to powerlift to some degree--I want to take my bench press to 400 lbs. 2 years ago when I had to stop lifting weight, I was at 350 lbs without using ay bench shirt.

Many of the units I was shown come with a smith bar--should I really get a smith ? Many have told me this is a waste, while others like them, so I don't know at this point.

Also, how about steel gauge ? I've seen a lot of 11 gauge steel, and a few 9 gauge--obviously 9 steel gauge is sturdier.

So to wrap it all up, I like bodybuilding as well as some powerlifting---I think this is now called power building.

I'm asking about what's best here, cause you guys aren't selling any particular brand, and will make for less of a biased opinion.

Thanks in advance

[hotdr]

I would get a full cage (like on the keys fitness site). In fact I did get a full cage. I just think it is safer than a half cage, especially if you are working out at home alone.

If you already got a bench and a bar and weights it is amazing what you can do with a squatting cage. Mine is just some no-name made in china thing, but it works well enough. It came with dipping bars and a chin-up bar, but nothing else. Later I added a cable station that could be used for pressdowns, cable curls, pull downs, seated rows etc. All told I only spent $700, (I too already had a bar and weights). The cable station was pretty cheap because it did not have its own weights, you put your existing weights on it.

I really don't miss the pec dec or smith machine that a lot of "home gyms" have. Many of them are poorly built anyway (it is easy to make a cage well, but when you add pulleys and sliders and bearings, etc I think it is expensive to do well).

This one is not the same brand as mine, but it is representative of the type...
Body Solid Powerline Power Rack PPR200 FREE Shipping

One thing I would add about lighter steel (mine is pretty thin)... it does a fine job of supporting the weights and it hasn't worn out in the 6 years I've had it, but if you are going heavy (which it sounds like you will) the whole cage rattles around when you rack the weights clumsily like I often do after a hard set. I don't think it is a safety, or durability issue so much as an annoyance. With time I notice the cage moving around my room. Perhaps a heavier cage wouldn't move so much. Also, maybe the ones with the built in storage for the plates would be better just because the mass of your weights on the cage would also be holding it in place.

[chip douglas]

Thanks for replying mate