Quality Home Gym and Bench Recommendations

TheCougar

TheCougar

WKR
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
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Location
Virginia
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
WoolyBugger said:
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.
Click to expand...
Any suggestions for a good bench that can do incline/decline/flat? Our Costco-source bench is starting to feel a tad shaky when I get over 300lbs on the bar...
 
I've been piecing together a home gym the last couple of weeks. Hard for me to go with anything other than Rogue. Seems that 90% of these companies are selling white labeled products built in China. Rogue is expensive, but in reality we are talking about buy-it-for-life, buy once cry once, equipment. For example, spending $600 on the rogue bench vs $550 on the Rep bench made in China is near negligeable cost difference if you ask me.

Everyone else just copies Rogue and Rep! Buy USA made if you can. Rogue, Sorinex, Prime, Stray Dog, maybe some others?
 
akhunter3 said:
Any suggestions for a good bench that can do incline/decline/flat? Our Costco-source bench is starting to feel a tad shaky when I get over 300lbs on the bar...
Click to expand...
I don’t decline so I can’t speak towards that but I really like the regular rogue adjustable bench. I would assume their AB that has the decline option would be incredibly solid.
 
Huckelfin said:
I've been piecing together a home gym the last couple of weeks. Hard for me to go with anything other than Rogue. Seems that 90% of these companies are selling white labeled products built in China. Rogue is expensive, but in reality we are talking about buy-it-for-life, buy once cry once, equipment. For example, spending $600 on the rogue bench vs $550 on the Rep bench made in China is near negligeable cost difference if you ask me.

Everyone else just copies Rogue and Rep! Buy USA made if you can. Rogue, Sorinex, Prime, Stray Dog, maybe some others?
Click to expand...

Its more like 30% difference for the apples to apples products. That adds up on a hurry on stuff that costs thousands to begin with.
 
I have mainly Rogue stuff. Most is 4-5 years old, gets used daily, and is in a humid/hot FL garage. All of it could probably still pass for new. I'd buy the best quality stuff you can, especially equipment, you could skimp on dumbbells/weights.
Make sure the bench is solid and not just prioritizing a bunch of add ons.
 
Coop over at Garage Gym on YT does an entire video series where he reviews the best budget garage gym gear every year. I would start there.
 
Rouge has add ons, but all I wanted was a rack. I went with the Rouge SML2? 90" rack, the Ohio bar, and their flat bench.
I got bumper plates from Homegrown Lifting.

It's all I need, and very sturdy. They do have attachments for it, but I'm not sure what all is available.

It's one of the purchases I still feel good about.
 
All depends on your space, budget and needs/wants. I have limited space, but also wanted something I can gear most of my workouts around. I already had a bunch of plates and bars. I found a nice power rack off of walmart with accessories shipped free. I can do most things at home without going to a gym now.
Also found some good adjustable dumbbells from 5-52.5#.


But spending can get out of control quickly, just like anything.
 
TheCougar said:
I have back issues and a smith machine helps prevent injury when squatting.
Click to expand...
Another good option is belt squats for this. Can find some cheap belt squat attachments on amazon.

Check out Coop's Garage gym reviews on youtube. Can find a good rack in your budget and as long as the rack tubing size is something standard like 2x2 or 3x3 you can find a wide range of attachments that will fit the rack.
 
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