Addendum: I forgot I added an EZ curl bar at some point over the winter from EliteFTS. It wasn’t expensive, although I don’t recall how much it was.
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Thanks for the update, especially liked the strongman section. I need to get one of those fans.
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Nice setup, Rod. We got some of the same stuff… 
My wife bought us that same orange industrial fan!! Yeah, the plate tree I like a lot and glad I got the heavy duty casters. I was really nervous about a stand being able to hold all 1,000+ lbs of my weight, but Rogue said not to worry and it can do just fine. They are right so far, the stuff is extra heavy gauge in all respects and I’ve not had any worries. Now, moving a half a ton, even on casters, is work… trust me LOL But, yes, you have the option to move things around, which is great. Especially if you take off a few hundred pounds, it’ll move easily. I like every decision I made here and would highly recommend the components I have to anyone. Minimalist gym, not a lot of stuff, but like it that way for now.
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Hi All,
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Thanks for the tips about home gyms! I also want to build one and don’t know what to start with exactly
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Rubber stall mats are great for a garage gym, they’re firm but still offer some give.
In addition to rubber stall mats, I’ve also found that a yoga mat or low-pile commercial carpet can be a good option to place under the plates. This will add an extra layer of cushioning and can help to protect your flooring.
Another option that I’ve considered for my garden gym is installing a pad specifically for the barbell.
This can be a great way to keep the bar parallel to the slope and avoid any issues with rolling.
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April 2018 was nearly six years ago, and I’m happy to see this thread still sometimes helps a few lifters out who are building their own home gyms. I’m still training in the same garage gym I pieced together back then. (Currently 9 weeks out from my first powerlifting meet.) So now that it’s January 2023, it’s time for a brief update.
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I did get a second barbell so I can superset. As I’ve progressed, I’ve had to increase my rest times between sets. Having a second bar to start warming up for the next movement has saved me a lot of time. Or, sometimes, I can perform two movements – one upper body and one lower body – simultaneously. Originally, I bought a Rouge Ohio Power Bar in cerakote. While this is a great bar, it comes with one big flaw if you lift in the Rouge R3 rack: The distance between the collars is narrow, which means the plates can easily hit against the uprights when walking out squats if you aren’t careful. That first step back has to be straight back. I remedied this by purchasing a bare steel Texas Power Bar. The collars on the Texas PB are farther apart, which makes walking out a heavy squat much easier. I also prefer the 28.5mm diameter over the Rouge OPB’s 29mm diameter. It’s easier for me to maintain a solid grip. If you’re a big boy, you may not have this issue. But I’m battle-gnome size. So I certainly appreciate it. There are two things to know about the Texas PB: First, I notice a some whip compared to the Rouge OPB. So when squatting heavy, the bar bends just a tad and you can feel it bounce slightly. It’s not a problem if you’re ready for it. But it is something to be aware of. Second, I love the feel of bare steel over the cerakote. The knurling is much more grippy. But, you have got to stay on top of bar maintenance. It needs weekly attention with a brush and a coating of oil if you live in a humid area.
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I did get an Elite FTS Safety Squat Bar and I’m glad I did. Eventually, I developed some bilateral elbow tendonopathy that made low-bar squatting painful. The SSB let me keep squatting while the elbow pain settled down. I also have a shoulder issue that sometimes flares up. And when it does, I use the SSB until it resolves. Even when my elbows and shoulders are behaving, I use the SSB for a modified Bulgarian split squat. I’ll touch on this more later. The only hiccup was shipping the SSB: UPS lost it for a month! Elite FTS customer service was initially not very responsive to my queries regarding my missing bar. Eventually, they contacted UPS after much prodding and, fortunately, UPS found the bar and delivered it several weeks after it shipped. One thing to be aware of if you get the Elite FTS SSB: regular barbell collars won’t fit. Be sure to get the kind that do.
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Squat wedges. I ran into a lot of balance issues when trying to split squat with the SSB. The SSB actually makes it much easier to balance the bar on your back. But putting my foot up on the bench and squatting down on one leg difficult for me as a short person. After much trial and error, I finally came up with a solution. I use one of the DIY deadlift blocks my friend made me to elevate my rear foot on. This is just a bit lower than the bench, but way more comfortable for me to get into and maintain a balanced position. Then the problem was I couldn’t feel my quads doing most of the work. The work of the split squat was more evenly distributed between my quads, hamstrings and glutei. This is when I added the squat wedges and problem solved. I can target my quads and still maintain a solid, balanced position in the split squat.
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I have not yet added any landmine handles for upper back work. I’ve found that Meadows rows and other DB and cable row variations are sufficient for targeting my upper back musculature. The best movement I’ve added is a modified single-arm lat pulldown facing an incline bench with the incline raised to not-quite-vertical. I added a double cable pulley system that attaches to the rack to make this work. It’s really been a game changer for me as I’ve struggled to get my lats to grow for a long time. More on the cable pulley system below.
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Still haven’t added chains. I do have a full set of bands and a slingshot for bench. I haven’t added the chains because my programming doesn’t include any overload movements that I’ve felt the need to acquire chains for yet. Chains are expensive, heavy, and take up precious space in a home gym. So far, bands and a slingshot have done the job so far. All that said, I don’t routinely do overloading movements. I have added the slingshot in for the block leading into my meet to gain some confidence handling heavier loads on bench. We’ll see if it helped or not.
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Dual cable pulley system from Angles 90. I purchased this during a sale on a whim. It’s been great having the option to add back in some cable movements for accessories, especially when my elbow tendonopathy flares up. It’s been great too for unilateral lat work, as I can really get a good mind-muscle connection here. It’s also allowed me to add in other accessory variations I couldn’t do with just barbells and dumbbells including leg extensions and leg curls. This dual cable pulley system attaches to the rack easily. The downsides: First, it isn’t made to handle heavy weight. The ankle straps it came with didn’t last very long, despite the fact I’m not using heavy weights. (I think 45 lbs is the heaviest weight I’ve used with it.) Second, you have to be very careful to make sure the cables stay seated in the pulleys. They pop out easily. Third, the cables only come in one length. I have the Rouge R3 shorty rack, and the cables are very long to use with it. Overall, it has its limitations. But I do appreciate the variations I’ve been able to add to my programming. Eventually, I’d like to replace it with a sturdier dual cable pulley system if I can find one that doesn’t break the bank, or I may DIY my own at some point.
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Dumbbell extension set: I have the Ironmaster adjustable dumbbell set that goes to 75 lbs. This has been sufficient. But when I get to the point that I need heavier DBs, I’ll probably purchase them separately. Swapping out the plates can be a bit tedious unless you’re doing straight sets. Overall, I really appreciate having these for accessory movements, especially for bench work because I can get a better ROM, use a neutral grip when necessary so my shoulders and elbows don’t get aggravated.
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I haven’t replaced the Rouge HG 2.0 “mousetraps.” They’re ok. I’ve become accustomed to locking and unlocking them without getting my fingers bit. I may upgrade eventually, but it isn’t a priority.
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Belt squat: I have struggled to find a DIY belt squat solution. Any set up that pulls forward seems to aggravate my knees when the load or volume go up. I don’t have room or the budget for a proper belt squat machine. But if someone wants to give me a Rouge Rhino, I’ll find the space!
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Almost forgot about plates: If you’re going to superset two barbell movements, get an extra set of change plates (2.5, 5, 10, 25). You will need them. Sadly, the Troy Fitness plates I originally purchased are no longer available. So I’m on the hunt for an additional set of decent change plates.
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Roller J-cups: So I just have the standard J-cups that came with the rack. This was fine for a long time. In the past year, the load on the bar has reached a point where a set of roller j-cups would be really sweet to have. However, these are a rather expensive item and not in the budget at this time. I’d like to get a set as this would not only make re-centering the bar between sets easier, but it wouldn’t mar the knurling on my bars. (This isn’t a big problem. It’s just something I’ve noticed.)
Some additional random thoughts: I think that’s it as far as the home gym equipment goes. I will add that I was in a pretty sweet spot during the pandemic as I was able to continue to train at home while public gyms were closed. Having a home gym helps me stay consistent with training. But I do miss going to a commercial gym sometimes for the camaraderie. It would also be nice to have some nice machines to add in some new variations.
I’m well into the master’s lifter age range now, and many of my friends say they wished they’d made an effort to stay strong and fit when they were younger – and now the years of sedentary lifestyles are negatively impacting them. First, I tell them it isn’t too late. You just have to make it a priority. Second, I make it a priority because lifting consistently is the best single thing I do for my mental health. After a stressful day, nothing beats hitting the gym. And things that maybe once might have stressed me, don’t. Lifting has made me much more mentally resilient as well as physically. I sleep so much better too!
Physically, I’m in much better shape than people my age. Heck, I’m in much better shape than most people. Aesthetics were not really a specific goal for me, although they have been a nice side effect. I’ve still managed to add a very noticeable amount of muscle over the last six years of consistent training and attention to nutrition and recovery despite my late start.
Five years ago, I set myself a goal to compete in my first powerlifting meet. This is the year! In fact, my meet is in nine weeks. I don’t expect to win or break any records. I’m doing it to have fun, makes new friends, and hopefully go 9-for-9. Once it’s behind me, I’m transitioning my training back to hypertrophy and conditioning for a while. Powerlifting is fun. But it’s also kind of monotonous, and I’m ready for a change. Looking forward to exploring some new fun ways to be fit and strong.
The Rogue R3 rack, bench, barbell, and plates are all solid choices for building a garage gym, and a deadlift platform is a great addition for safety and protection of your flooring. Here are a few other pieces of equipment that you may want to consider:
- Dumbbells: A set of adjustable dumbbells can be useful for exercises like rows, curls, and various pressing movements.
- Kettlebells: Kettlebells are versatile and can be used for exercises like swings, goblet squats, and Turkish get-ups.
- Pull-up bar: A pull-up bar can be mounted on the rack or on a wall and is useful for exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups, and rows.
- Resistance bands: Resistance bands are a versatile and cost-effective way to add resistance to bodyweight exercises and can also be used for warm-up and mobility work.
- Jump rope: A jump rope is a great tool for warm-ups and conditioning.
- Weight plates: Depending on your budget, you may want to consider getting a set of weight plates in addition to the barbell plates you already have. This will allow you to add more resistance to your exercises.
- Flooring: If you’re deadlifting on concrete, you may want to add rubber matting to protect your floors, and also to protect the barbell from damage.
- Chalk: Chalk can help improve grip and prevent slipping on barbells and dumbbells.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t need to have all the equipment at once, and you can gradually build your gym as you progress and have the budget for it. Keep an eye out for garage sales, Craigslist, or local sporting goods store for used equipment. Remember to make sure that you’re getting equipment that is safe and in good working order.