Quality Home Gym and Bench Recommendations

[TheCougar]

Looking to start a home gym and wondering if there are any recommendations for an all-in-one squat rack/smith machine that has a cable pulley set up. A smith machine is desired, but not required. I have back issues and a smith machine helps prevent injury when squatting. I would like something to good quality. Something like the Major Fitness B52 Pro, although I don’t know if that is a POS or not.



Also the other piece I am looking for is a multi-functional bench that can can do things like GHD, Rev Hypers, incline/decline, leg ext and leg curl (via attachments), etc. Something like the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro (again, not sure if that is any good).



Send me your champions. Thanks.

 

[BigDog00]

Budget is king (so is space), it can get out of hand purchasing gym equipment. If you have Facebook, check marketplace religiously. Sorinex is a great brand that's pro hunting. Their Apex rack is something I'll likely get at some point in my life. Rep fitness and Elite FTS are some other good ones. I've got a Rep squat rack and it's been great. Theres a bunch of other brands that have popped up since covid. I'm not familiar with Major Fitness.

As for a bench, I have an Ironmaster adjustable bench that's been really good. It has a bunch of attachments you can get for it. I just have the bend though.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Last year I broke into my hsa piggy bank and bought a rep Ares 2.0 with a nighthawk bench. Have the 6 post version, a couple barbells and almost a thousand pounds of fringe sport bumper plates. Love the setup. If you drive up to Carlisle pa with your trailer you can save quite a bit.

They have a Smith machine attachment, and I think a new cage with a Smith and pulley system integrated in.

 

[Maxhunter]

I have free weights, pull up bar, Bowflex Max Trainer, and treadmill. I like on nasty days just getting up and working out and not having to drive to town.

 

[WoolyBugger]

Watch facebook, people buy gym equipment thinking that the thing holding them back from working out is going to the gym, but turns out they just don’t want to work out. Look in nearby big cities, marketplace is flooded with the stuff.

If you don’t want to wait for what you want to pop up on FB, titan is a good budget brand and they make it easy to use your hsa (wouldn’t use your tax advantaged money if you can help it). Rogue gives me the warm fuzzies and makes me excited to use it so if thats something that helps you stay motivated it could be worth the money. Rep is good too, they probably have the best adjustable dumbbells on the market.

Careful buying stuff that does a ton of things at once like a bench. I want my bench to be good at bench things when I have 275 pounds over my face. then a separate piece for the other stuff.

 

[jjschuh]

I just bought the RitFit M1 Functional Trainer Rack and Leg Press combo. Haven't been able to assemble yet but all the reviews I could find on it were great for home gyms. Plus that price for the combo machines is hard to beat.

As far as bench I ordered a Bells of Steel Buzzsaw. Got the leg curl/extension attachment and the preacher curl attachment with it too.