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Pull-ups are a fundamental and functional movement pattern. They should also be a part of any well-programmed training regimen. For those of us with home gyms, that means that we need to find a place to put our pull-up bar. It also means we need to figure out exactly how high to mount it. There … Read more
If you’ve done any research at all into buying gear for your home gym, you’ve almost certainly come across Titan Fitness. You’ve also probably come across a variety of strongly held opinions about them. Very few other companies in the fitness industry are as polarizing as Titan is. Some people hate them. Others love them. … Read more
Weight plates are something we should only have to buy once. If we buy right the first time, they typically won’t wear out. That means there are a few decisions we need to make when buying weight for our home gyms. Steel, coated, or bumper plates? How many? What sizes? New or used? I answer … Read more
When I was building my garage gym, I searched on Google for “what makes a great weight bench for a home gym”. The only results that came back were site after site listing their “best benches of 20xx”. There was no good advice. There was no one explaining what to look for. In reality, every … Read more
In my article on the must-have essentials found in all great home gyms, I made the case that resistance training is king. I feel that of all the types of training one could do at home, old-school weight lifting is still the most effective. That’s not to say that I don’t take part in other … Read more
A lot of the articles on this site address the issues of space and budget constraints. Building a great home gym when you are short on space and/or money can be challenging at best. But what if you have both space and the budget? What then? Even after limited casual shopping, you’ll find more home … Read more
I vividly remember the day my power rack arrived. Fedex freight tracking showed it arriving in the early afternoon on a Wednesday. I called in late to work and waited anxiously for it to arrive I was so excited. At about 2pm, the truck dropped a 400+ lb. pallet right outside my front door. I … Read more
Even if you limit your search to Amazon and a few quality barbell manufacturers, there are easily over 100 different barbells to choose from. When putting together a home gym, it can be hard to figure out which one is right for you. Especially considering it’s one of the most important purchases you’ll make when … Read more
I thought buying a barbell was going to be easy. It’s a metal rod that holds weight, how hard could it be? Apparently a lot harder than I thought. Did I want a 28mm or 28.5mm shaft? Did I want bearings or bushings? What kind of knurling and knurl marks did I want? Which of … Read more
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I don’t want to die trapped under a barbell. You might laugh, but my fear is real. Lifting at home alone without a spotter can be dangerous. There are quite a few ways to mitigate the danger, but one of the most common is a power … Read more
The sound of the power rack’s metal feet scraping across the floor was almost unbearable. Real nails on a chalk board type sounds. I had attached a heavy band to one of the uprights and was trying to do banded rows. Every time I pulled, the rack moved. This wasn’t the only time I was … Read more
One of the great things about having a home gym is that it gives me the ability to train with equipment I wouldn’t normally find at a commercial gym. It’s allowed me to be thoughtful about the gear I buy and to buy things that genuinely compliment my programming. I’m not stuck with whatever the … Read more
12/13/22 Update. Since writing the below article, I’ve reconsidered my views on what size plates to buy. I still stand by the method presented below. The change comes with what plates you should buy as part of your set once you determine just how much weight you are going to need. Once you finish this … Read more
I get pretty pumped every time I add a piece of gear to my home gym. But no addition has ever excited me more than the addition of a power rack. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve stood in my garage imagining a full-size rack as the centerpiece of my garage workout space. … Read more
The knock at my door was unexpected. It was my neighbor. “Hey, we’re moving, and we have to be out fast. If there’s anything over in my garage, you see that you might want, let me know. We’d rather not have to move most of it.” The housing crisis had claimed yet another victim. I … Read more
I have owned not one, but two Bowflex home gyms in my training lifetime. A bunch of years back, I owned two of the exact same model within about a year of each other. It’s too long of a story to explain here, but the short version is I apparently don’t learn from experience very … Read more
I love walking outside. But here near Chicago, there comes a time of year when no matter how hearty you think you are, walking outside just isn’t gonna happen. When the wind chill is 30 below, and the actual temp is -2° F, even the dog doesn’t want to go outside. And I can’t blame … Read more
When Jocko Willink, Seal team commander and all around badass, was asked to list the equipment people should buy for their home gym, he said, “If there’s one thing that you could have, if there was one piece of equipment, it would probably be smart to go with just wooden rings… You could basically work … Read more
I almost had a heart attack the first time I priced out a new set of dumbbells. And then another when I looked at prices on weight plates. In fact, I have been consistently amazed at how much quality gym equipment costs. But there is hope for those of us who build out gyms on … Read more
***2024 update… If you need a bench that folds flat, this is a great choice. If that’s not the case, make sure to check out my recommended benches page here. A lot has changed since I bought this bench almost 10 years ago! There are few other pieces of equipment you’ll buy for your home … Read more
In this article I’ll be covering the the EZ bar. It’s a funny looking thing that you’ll find in most commercial gyms. A lot of people think it’s just for curls. But it’s so much more than that. I integrated one into my training years ago and wouldn’t go back. For a full detail on … Read more
It’s easy to get carried away when equipping your home gym. A quiet hour alone with your credit card on the internet can often result in quite a few purchases you don’t actually need. For me this is especially true when it comes to training gear! A quick study of home gym blogs and You … Read more
Here, I’ll be covering the Olympic straight bar (also sometimes known as a power lifting barbell). This traditional straight barbell is usually the very first bar people add to their gym. It’s the king of the weight training barbells. You’ll most likely use it more than any other bar you own. It’s what you will … Read more
If you are building a home gym, you’re going to need at least one barbell. If you are building a great home gym, you’ll need at least 3.
A complete list of gear, accessories, tech, books, and gym upgrades that you’ll use and love. All for under $50!!!