Weightlifting Equipment for Home Gym

[monkey_business]

I'm shocked no-one has mentioned Kettlebells so far. I'm in love with KBs - they can really hit a nice sweet spot for cardio or work muscles in different ways from the traditional barbell/dumbell combo.

I have a gym membership ($21 a month) and it has all the usual gear - barbells, dumbbells, squat racks etc. and cardio machines so the basement gym I am creating is to contain everything else to add a bit of variety

1) Kettlebells - just got a 25b and 35lb to start and planning many more - I highly recommend Kettlebell Kings https://www.kettlebellkings.com/
2) Gymnastic rings - great for increasing range of motion and working stabilizer muscles you can't hit with machines

Coming next
3) Trap Bar - for heavy deadlifts, shrugs
4) Schwinn Airdyne bike for snowy days I don't feel like going out
5) Super Squats hip belt for squats at home without the need for a full rack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IE7G1E/re ... Izb1241KAG

You can get other ideas here
http://next-level-athletics.com/garage- ... ent-guide/

CFM300 and I have actually discussed this; we don't understand the kettlebell hype at all. Their functionality is limited, especially for the cost. Other than a swing, there are better (and cheaper) implements for every single thing you do with a KB. You will quickly progress past the point where a 25lbs or 35lbs KB is sufficient to induce overload, then you've got to buy progressively bigger and bigger ones and they are expensive.

Most people that engage in physical activities are interested in exercising, not training. Exercising is about what the workout feels like, i.e. how sweaty, sore, out of breath, etc. you get. Kettlebells are great for that. Training is about reaching a long term goal, and each workout is simply a piece of the process to reach it. Jogging two miles three times a week is exercise. Running to increase endurance to run a marathon is training.

Kettlebells are not good for training because you will outgrow the lighter ones, and will need to buy increasingly heavy, unwieldy, and expensive kettlebells. For example, how do you provide the training stimulus of a 300lb squat with kettlebells? How do you perform heavy pressing movements with the kettlebell shape? What do you do when going to the next heavier kettlebell is too much, but the current one is not heavy enough? Barbells can be loaded in increments as small as 0.5lb, and allow you to train for the rest of your life. They are also far cheaper on a per pound basis.

[stoptothink]

I'm shocked no-one has mentioned Kettlebells so far. I'm in love with KBs - they can really hit a nice sweet spot for cardio or work muscles in different ways from the traditional barbell/dumbell combo.

I have a gym membership ($21 a month) and it has all the usual gear - barbells, dumbbells, squat racks etc. and cardio machines so the basement gym I am creating is to contain everything else to add a bit of variety

1) Kettlebells - just got a 25b and 35lb to start and planning many more - I highly recommend Kettlebell Kings https://www.kettlebellkings.com/
2) Gymnastic rings - great for increasing range of motion and working stabilizer muscles you can't hit with machines

Coming next
3) Trap Bar - for heavy deadlifts, shrugs
4) Schwinn Airdyne bike for snowy days I don't feel like going out
5) Super Squats hip belt for squats at home without the need for a full rack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IE7G1E/re ... Izb1241KAG

You can get other ideas here
http://next-level-athletics.com/garage- ... ent-guide/

CFM300 and I have actually discussed this; we don't understand the kettlebell hype at all. Their functionality is limited, especially for the cost. Other than a swing, there are better (and cheaper) implements for every single thing you do with a KB. You will quickly progress past the point where a 25lbs or 35lbs KB is sufficient to induce overload, then you've got to buy progressively bigger and bigger ones and they are expensive.

Most people that engage in physical activities are interested in exercising, not training. Exercising is about what the workout feels like, i.e. how sweaty, sore, out of breath, etc. you get. Kettlebells are great for that. Training is about reaching a long term goal, and each workout is simply a piece of the process to reach it. Jogging two miles three times a week is exercise. Running to increase endurance to run a marathon is training.

Kettlebells are not good for training because you will outgrow the lighter ones, and will need to buy increasingly heavy, unwieldy, and expensive kettlebells. For example, how do you provide the training stimulus of a 300lb squat with kettlebells? How do you perform heavy pressing movements with the kettlebell shape? What do you do when going to the next heavier kettlebell is too much, but the current one is not heavy enough? Barbells can be loaded in increments as small as 0.5lb, and allow you to train for the rest of your life. They are also far cheaper on a per pound basis.

Agree, it's also why most people never see the progress they hope for.

[CFM300]

Several thoughts, all relevant to the OP's question of what to buy:

1. I would definitely recommend a bar with center knurling if you're going to learn and perform Rippetoe-style low-bar back squats. If you're going to high-bar squat, I think knurling is irrelevant. The bar will sit on the top of the traps just fine with or without knurling, assuming you keep a reasonably narrow hand position. If you're going to do a lot of Olympic lifting, especially the high-rep CrossFit variety, center knurling may chew up your neck and clavicles.

2. One should not squat or perform any other lift in front of a mirror. The visual information is distracting. The movement should be mastered via proprioception, just like every other athletic movement outside of the gym. (Should we add mirrors to the bottom of a pool? To the top of the ceiling for bench press?) Mirrors are for vanity and are present in gyms because of bodybuilding culture. They're also an obvious safety hazard. Video your work sets to scrutinize your form.

3. I understand the appeal of the movements done with kettlebells, I just think most of them are better performed with dumbbells. One-arm snatches (especially with a true vertical pull), two-arm cleans, Turkish get-ups for sure. Dumbbells are also better for benching, rowing, pressing, curling, thrusters, etc. Perhaps kettlebells are better for swings, though I've had no trouble using dumbbells.

[TarHeel2002]

I bought a Rogue rack about 2 years ago and I love it. I use it 3-5 times per week in my basement. It was expensive but well worth it. I can do all of the major lifting exercises one would do at the gym. You need to buy a quality bench to complement it. I would definitely buy one again. I never bolted mine down and have had no tipping issues whatsoever.

https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rm-4 ... r-rack-2-0

https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-adju ... gJdx_D_BwE

[fasteddie911]

I'd suggest a "cage" with attachments for pullups and dips, add the barbell, curl bar (not necessary though), bench and weights and you'd have a simple but effective setup that shouldn't hold you back in any way.