Let's talk home gyms

like I said earlier... my 17yr old 135 lb child sets off the "lunk alarm"...lol Then there is the 20 something community college wanna be gym teacher/security guard hassling him about his membership.

 

Holup, they actually have an alarm that goes off if you drop the weights or make too much noise?

For serious?

 

If you’re using a BB in the squat tower and have your safety bars setup properly it’s pretty damn hard to get pinned by the bar. Ya it’ll be on your chest but not the full weight and it’s no different than trying to roll the lockout forward on a smith machine when your in between the locks and it’s pinned you. There’s no reason why you can’t lift heavy alone using one other than the possibility of passing out and doing a face plant.

 

yes...lol
A couple years ago they used to have a commercial showing some gym rats bullying your beginning gym user. It was pretty entertaining. Just another lame excuse folks use why gyms fail.

 

I've been considering my own reverse hyper build as well. Just saw this earlier this week. Its still a lot of $$$, but I like that I can fold it up when not in use. My workout area doubles as the kids in-door basketball court/floor hockey rink/etc...
https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/the-scout-reverse-hyper?variant=35213842060

 

That's not really too bad compared to the big machines.

 

This is exactly what I plan to do and you're right it's just like the lockouts on a smith machine. I'm actually surprised to hear so many people concerned about benching alone, those safety bars are there for a reason. I'll get a good tower with safety bars, no brainer.

 

I can't workout at home unless its just some bodyweight stuff and I'm doing it with my kids. (My kids love doing a "Deck of Cards" workout) Way too many distractions and other priorities at home. I am fortunate to have my own office/warehouse where I set up a small area to just throw in a small workout if bored or stressed at work or don't have a lot of time to go to the actual gym.

So I have my Road bike on a trainer, a Bosu ball for doing squats, a balance ball for situps and misc. a medicine ball, a couple sets of DB's 20,30, 40's, a rock climbing hangboard for pull ups and a Dip station in one of my pallet racks. I might throw on a P90X video and follow along or some other Stack.com video. But I also have 3 LA Fitness within 10 miles of my home and shop and at only $30 bucks a month it wouldn't make sense for me to spend $2k on a squat rack, bench/cable shit.

 

For me I don’t have the time and would rather be home with the family. I can bang out a 40min workout before my kids get home or while the wife’s making dinner. 40min isn’t enough time to get to the gym, change, workout, shower, come home. I’d shower at home but I’m not putting my sweaty ass all over my seats. I’ve also got my road bike on the trainer so I can do that as well. I miss the gym a lot but it’s this or nothing and if/when the time comes I can get back to the gym I’ll sell my equipment that I bought used for what I paid for it. Pretty hard to beat up a squat tower.

I’ve got a play room for the kids across from the gym and just use a baby gate to keep them at bay.

 

I completely tore my pec bench pressing. Was doing reps with weight that was not at all challenging for me. (225 for set of 8-10 reps to finish warm up. The second set rep # three she just let loose. I had previously warmed up on pec deck, etc)
It just went zero warning.
I was at a gym when it happened and got lucky I had a lot of control of the weight when it tore and the weight was light for me. I had no spotter.
Now knowing how they can just go I would nvr bench alone again.
Had it been any type of heavy weight it could of been nasty.
Don’t barbell bench alone. Lol


Ride safe,
AAron

 

I have an old original style Vulcan power rack for squats,bench and a dip attachment I welded up.The Vulcan rack is awesome because its somewhat compact and out of the way,but can be used for alot of the crucial training that will stick to your ribs. Then I have a somewhat cheesy, but very effective old wieder style rack with upper and lower pulleys and it uses olympic plates instead of the weightstack with the adjustment pin. Also 2 sets of 300lbs olympic bar and weight sets+ extra plates I would pick up whenever I passed York barbell (mecha). 24"+/- dumbell handles that can be loaded up to 200lbs each using standard plates. 2 easy-curl cambered bars. Thats plenty good enough to get you where ever you will go at this point in life IMHO. I have zero problem with motivation to lift at home,and have done so since 2003, when I moved far from the oldskool strongman gym I started out at many moons ago. Multiple podium finishes in HW and SHW divisions without a gym membership thats full of gymrats that get in the way. It CAN be done at home if you're serious and commited.

 

But if you bench in the squat tower you’d just drop it onto the safety bars. If you’re using just a regular bench then hell no.