Equipment --- order of priorities for home gyms

[fevzay]

Addressing this to Jordan and Austin, hopefully.

I know Austin has a home gym with the basics (R-3 racks, flat bench, deadlift platform, tons of plates, etc.). Guess I'm asking for an order of priorities based on your basic and advanced templates.

In short, I have an awesome home gym. Currently, I have:

- Rogue R-3 rack (pins/pipe)
- Ohio Power bar 29mm (bare steel)
- Castro bar 28.5mm (bare steel)
- Rogue Flat Utility bench
- DIY deadlift platform
- 800 lbs iron plates (2% accuracy plates that are matched up in dead even pairs)
- 300 lbs bumper plates
- Huge plate trees
- Titan full deadlift jack
- Concept 2 Rower
- Rogue Echo Air Bike (on order...don't have it yet)
- IronMaster Lat pulldown / low row machine (bought used for $250 because I'm fat and can't do pull ups yet)
- Rogue Post Landmine with single handle, parallel handle and straight t-bar handle
- Rogue Curl bar (forgive me)
- Kettlebells --18 lb, 26 lb, 35 lb, 44 lb, 53 lb (I know, I know....I really haven't touched them other than stretching my shoulders)
- A few bands that don't get used

First, I KNOW that I am not NEEDING anything else for BASIC training, but at what point in the future (if at all) do I begin to look for things beyond the basics? Things like an adjustable bench, safety squat bar, a squat box, other specialty bars, dip station (matador) with belt, multi grip pull-up bar, and dumbbells (if at all)?

Secondly, I know that most of these things beyond a rack, a bench and some weights are a luxury. I'm just in a position right now that I can afford to spend a few thousand dollars here and there (over the course of a few years) in the name of health and strength.

So.....what does your current home gym look like, and what will your future gym look like?

[Austin Baraki]

For me:

Basics = quality rack, quality bar, weights/weight tree, bench, platform

"Extras" (IMO): additional bars / specialty bars (like SSB or Duffalo), deadlift jack, pulling blocks, conditioning tool (Airdyne), adjustable bench, chains/bands

Of the above, I own everything except an adjustable bench and chains, which I'll probably get eventually. I also own a 15 kg women's bar and an 5 kg aluminum training bar with some 10 and 25 lb bumpers for coaching purposes. I don't feel like I "need" anything else, to be honest.

If I had unlimited money to throw at a gym, I'd get a couple ER Combo Racks, a set of calibrated Eleiko competition plates, a couple Eleiko power bars, and a belt squat machine. Maybe some weightlifting equipment too, just for fun.

I'm sure others will have more exciting answers than me.

[Bear_Bryan]

Kind of underselling your gym by calling it awesome, lol. That is badass. If I had a few grand I would transition from 2% plates to calibrated ones from Rogue. Kg or freedom units, whichever you prefer.

[fevzay]

Thanks for the responses!

Austin, your list makes a lot of sense. I see a few specialty bars in my future as well as the other items already mentioned. Will definitely take my time as I don't have any needs given my current training level.

Bear_Bryan, thanks man! It's been some work to get to this point for sure. Dude, I have had calibrated plates on my mind for a year but they are a total luxury given I already have good, matched plates. Still can't stop thinking about them though! LOL!

For some reason, I still want a fixed set of dumbbells. They take up a lot of room and will cost $2500, but I am going to be lifting for several more decades. I think they'd be good for GPP. Just trying to have a little bit of everything.

Regardless, I am out of cash for gear until I can sell off more personal items to fund it. I am trying to raise about $3k for the next Black Friday sale.

[WonderCat4Life]

Jordan had a good answer about this on his IG live today. One nuance: opt for the 30 inch deep R-3 bolt together rack (the standard weld rack is only 24 inch deep).

[Old and fat]

Jordan had a good answer about this on his IG live today. One nuance: opt for the 30 inch deep R-3 bolt together rack (the standard weld rack is only 24 inch deep).

Why opt for the 30” rack? I tried but couldn’t find Jordan talking about this. I’m looking at the R3 welded as it’s a bit higher and I’d be able to press inside. My current rack is 22” so,the R3 would be a bit more depth