# Building a home gym...



## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

So, i've been training at a local gym now for about 2 years, however htis is becoming less and less practical for many reasons, and also they don't have facilities for freeweight squats etc anyway, which is annoying

Thing is, I reckon that i have around four to six hundred pounds to play with, so wondering what other people would do in my situation....

Basics that i'm going to need are:

Power cage

Bench

Barbell (preferably olympic)

Weights (ideally around 200kg worth of)

Extras that would be great:

Z/EZ/Curl bar, whatever one wants to call it.

Chains (reckon i could pick some up cheap somewhere?)

Some form of Dip/Leg Raise bars

Swiss Ball

What of these is going to be reasonable within my Budget? I'm essentially new to buying gym gear. Supps etc i can do, but this is a whole new ball-game, so to speak.

A bit of research seems to only ever bring up the same two sites, which seem to me fairly expensive on some items.

Anybody got any advice?

Thanks in advance


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## robc1985 (Jan 28, 2010)

I spent about 650 on bench, 140kg weights and cage. Do it but not from powerhouse fitness. They are $hite!


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

I would say dumbbell set but these can get very expensive.


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

robc1985 said:


> I spent about 650 on bench, 140kg weights and cage. Do it but not from powerhouse fitness. They are $hite!


Haha,

Any suggestions on where to go?


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

Buy from Powertec.


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

They have appeared the best value for money from what I've seen,

Are they good?


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

moocows911 said:


> They have appeared the best value for money from what I've seen,
> 
> Are they good?


Yes and reasonably priced.


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## oj0 (Apr 11, 2011)

Any reason why you're not looking at second hand weights mate? You should easily be able to pick everything you need up from eBay or GumTree


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

No reason at all. I have been looking on ebay, but the money won't be coming in until mid-october, so most of what is on eBay atm, won't still be around by then...


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## Ukbeefcake (Jan 5, 2011)

Set up my own gym at my old house for practical reasons also.

Powertec bench and rack about 450 new prob bout £250-£300 second hand

Fixed dumbbells bought second hand 10-50 kg 2.5 increments £750

Latt pull down £80

attachments for cable £100

Olympic weight set new cost bout £450

Looking back though I would never buy new stuff again just buy second hand a plate or a dumbbell now matter how battered is still Gona do the same job.

Scam eBay for the next month mate something will defo come up. Just sniper them b1tches at the last second.

The power Tec rack n bench were spot on! Had 200kg on there at times and handled it fine.

Good luck

Oh and don't forget the mirror


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## 1adf1 (Jun 15, 2010)

what i got

power cage

http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/bodymax-cf375-power-rack.php

105kg weight set works out cheaper to buy this and buy extra 20kg plates

http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/olympic_weight_sets/bodypower_105kg_trigrip_olympic_weight_set_/12268_p.html

20kg plates

http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/olympic_weight_plates/bodypower_trigrip_cast_iron_olympic_disc__20kg_x1/11783_p.html


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

Ukbeefcake said:


> Set up my own gym at my old house for practical reasons also.
> 
> Powertec bench and rack about 450 new prob bout £250-£300 second hand
> 
> ...


If Only I had the money 

and deffo a mirror haha.

In an ideal world, i want to buy the cage/rack new, just for peace of mind with the safety, but the bar/weights/bench etc i'll hopefully be able to get second hand quite cheaply and leave some money for the nice extras


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

I am looking for a fixed set of dumbbells, anyone know a place?


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## maxie (Jan 31, 2011)

I got a powerline rack for £270 which has been ok but not had much over 200lb on it yet.

I already had a set of normal weights so i bought a new 7 foot bar £25.

I got an adjustable body solid bench off ebay £50.

Then a 150kg of normal plates ebay £80.

Just got ez,tri bar and plate tree ebay for £40 like brand new.

I didnt want a rack with a lat pulldown combined as i needed both sides of the rack,looking out for a pulldown mc on ebay.

You might be better doing the same as me with the seven foot bar as normal weight discs come up on ebay a lot more often than olympics.

I got my bench and weights first so icould have some sort of workout,then the rack and seven foot bar,then just sit back and wait for the bargains to come rolling in off ebay,small ads etc


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## BLUTOS (Mar 5, 2005)

Dumbbells can be made up pretty cheap if you get the plates from papers second hand shops etc then borrow a mates arc welder and make your own sets up.

if you aint got dumbbells you can just hold the plates and do the side laterals and arm curls holding on the the edges until you fully kit your gym.

Power rack and adjustable bench a must, dont worry about chains, dip bars no need with a rack you can set up two bars inside and you have a dip station, a plank of wood across with an old belt to catch your leg and you can do back extension or high bench pulls

. EZ bar is softer on your wrists for skull crushers but not a real essential.


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## Tez260 (Aug 3, 2011)

ive set up my own gym up indoors also, i got most of my equipment from DECATHLON i.e very high usage, high max weight cages and squat frames at decent prices.. and on free weights it works out to be £1 per kilo i.e 20kg plate= £20 quid..

but depending on what you lift and likely to lift you might need proffessional/commercial use equipment..


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

DB are going to be a much later investment... as you say, i'm just going to hold the plates... be good for practical grip strength too....

Alot of power cages now come with the dip/pull up station, and for peace of mind that is the one piece of equipment I intend to buy new.

Chains I reckon i can get dirt cheap as the local garage has jsut shut down... Ditto hopefully some tyres etc....


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

hmmm best prices I have seen is powerhouse fitness... I got nothing but the best service from them too... have heard that they did drop the ball on a few orders though... got a rack, lat/low pulley row attachment and dip bars (plug into holes on the safety bars) and a bench for about 500ish... I already had some weights from when I had a lesser bench/squat rack (more like uprights) setup... oh and they added 2 20kg plates for about 40quid which was a steel... oh I mean steal 

need a rack for sure, bench and oly weights...


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

Yeah, powerhouse has the best prices for cage / bench.

for 450 I've found heavy duty cage/rack/dip attachment, which would leave £150 to find some weights which I thought would be easy, but at the weights I need, they're almost double that :/

Is £270 really the cheapest I'm going to find for a 185kg weights set?


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## Milky (Nov 30, 2008)

Where are you based mate ?


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

Stratford-upon-avon,

I'm hoping that something will come up on eBay, although as far as I can tell from first glances, the entire ebay listings for barbells and weights are in Lancashire or Yorkshire, which isn't much help to be honest on collection only items :/


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## Milky (Nov 30, 2008)

Ok mate, l have some re inforced rubber matting thats all.


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## robc1985 (Jan 28, 2010)

Greyphantom said:


> hmmm best prices I have seen is powerhouse fitness... I got nothing but the best service from them too... have heard that they did drop the ball on a few orders though... got a rack, lat/low pulley row attachment and dip bars (plug into holes on the safety bars) and a bench for about 500ish... I already had some weights from when I had a lesser bench/squat rack (more like uprights) setup... oh and they added 2 20kg plates for about 40quid which was a steel... oh I mean steal
> 
> need a rack for sure, bench and oly weights...


Glad you did well out of them fella. ****3d a lot over though! Im not bitter though. :[email protected]


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

bassline boy said:


> im wanting to do this soon sick of training in gyms that are full off to$$ers nowadays i need a big shed 1st in the back yard then fill it up with second hand iron next year hopefully own music no wanna be hench blud kids about.


Indeed.

I'm fed up of My gym. All there is is a smith machine, which I pretty much refuse to use as it's range of motion is abysmal. No cage/rack. No free bar except the fixewd barbells up to 40kg, and an EZ bar.

And the DB don't really make up for it as they only go up to 40kg :/


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

What is actually necessary having in a home gym because commercial gyms have a lot...


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

I reckon you can get away with just Bench, Power Cage and Barbell/Weights, But Some DB would be ideal as well


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

moocows911 said:


> Yeah, powerhouse has the best prices for cage / bench.
> 
> for 450 I've found heavy duty cage/rack/dip attachment, which would leave £150 to find some weights which I thought would be easy, but at the weights I need, they're almost double that :/
> 
> Is £270 really the cheapest I'm going to find for a 185kg weights set?


I think mine were a bit less than that, found on ebay... round the 200 mark... but they are not cheap...


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

robc1985 said:


> Glad you did well out of them fella. ****3d a lot over though! Im not bitter though. :[email protected]


lol yeah have heard a few stories but also heard a few good ones too...


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Fat said:


> What is actually necessary having in a home gym because commercial gyms have a lot...


 Bench/cage/olly weights & dumbell handles & you'll be fine.

Leg curl/ext for bench is nice as is a preacher pad


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## will-uk (Apr 12, 2010)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/weights-and-bench-/140608306675?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item20bce87df3#ht_500wt_1287


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## will-uk (Apr 12, 2010)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/gym-equipment-/260856282337?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item3cbc3efce1#ht_500wt_1287


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

http://www.purefitnessandsports.co.uk/strength-training/power-racks/marcy-pm3800-power-squat-rack-weight-bench-p-2163.html

Atm i'm looking at that, and then picking up the weights as cheap as possible on ebay.

Has anybody used the above power cage? any good?


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

• Power rack can support over 600 lbs on the bar and safety catches

Not a huge amount for a rack.

prob due to the lack of support @ the front


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

Indeed there is less rack, but I can't think of any exercises where i would require the safety bars that high to be honest?

Clean and press is the only move I do which goes that high, but obviously it has to come down to waist height for the clean, so the safetys wouldn't need to be up there....


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/premium-strength-package.php

Is well priced.

You'd have to check the capacity though


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## moocows911 (Jun 2, 2011)

Yeah i have that one bookmarked as well, it just comes down to the viability of picking up weights elsewhere really, although the powerhouse package does have the pulley attachment which is a nice little extra, but not entirely necessary tbh...

and iirc the capacity for that cage is 700lb, so more than enough for now


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

moocows911 said:


> Yeah i have that one bookmarked as well, it just comes down to the viability of picking up weights elsewhere really, although the powerhouse package does have the pulley attachment which is a nice little extra, but not entirely necessary tbh...
> 
> and iirc the capacity for that cage is 700lb, so more than enough for now


I have this one and its the dogs... think its load is more upwards of 800lbs though, I squat with 250 in it and it holds fine... the bench is the same as mine and its excellent, stable and firm and good width (impt imho) the lat/pulley attachment is a huge bonus and you will use it for accessory work (if into powerlifting) and the like if nothing else... the chin attachments are good and solid and the cage doesnt move even with 115kg of me doing chins... takes about 3 or 4 hours to put together on your own though (incl bench)...


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## maxie (Jan 31, 2011)

http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/power_cages/powerline_power_rack_grey/8847_p.html?gclid=CPeQx97jsKsCFSMntAodF3Q2cg

Ive got one of these and so far so good its stable enough and does the job,it was either this or a powertec one.

The problem with this rack http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/premium-strength-package.php

is now the front upright holes dont go right through,no good as i often use them,the design has changed since grey phantom got his rack.I nearly bought one myself till this was pointed out to me.

I would go for a full rack,not the marcy half rack,it will be more stable for one thing.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

Is that a texas power bar in your pic Grey?


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

martin brown said:


> Is that a texas power bar in your pic Grey?


yeah mate, got one a while back (I think I asked you about it at one point about the tpb and a lesser one and you recommended get the tpb, I did and its the dogs mate, thing of beauty)... totally worth it too mate... did scrape my shins a few times on the deads though


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