Best standrad weight training benches according to redditors

Hey Destiny,

I made the switch from a commercial gym and just built a home gym in my garage over this past summer and have a little bit of advice for you. I did a lot of research and reading before finally buying all of my equipment.

For the weights, they will probably be the most expensive part of your gym. I wouldn't recommend paying anything over $1/pound. If you want to take the time and check craigslist regularly, you can find some people desperate to sell their like-new/slightly-used weights from anywhere to $.60-.90 cents a pound. Some people have to move and have no other choice but to sell their weights as soon as possible. Even if the weights do have little bit of rust, you can easily clean that off. Just watch out for major chips/dings in the plates. Rubber plates will be more durable than iron, however rubber usually tends to cost you a lot more. Also weights with grip holes usually cost more than regular round ones. I got a 390lb set of like-new iron plates for only $260 on craigslist. I got pretty lucky but I've read many other stories of people getting even better deals than me.

I think the power rack you linked should be just fine. This is the rack I have for around the same price range . Make sure it has a good weight capacity. Even though you may not ever be squatting 700-800 pounds, if you think about it, when you throw the bar off your back and onto the spotter arms, F=MA and shit turns that 135lb you're squatting to more and more the higher you drop it from, so also keep that in mind.

For the bench, from what I have read and experienced, is one of the single most important parts of your gym. You don't want to go cheap on a bench and get an un-sturdy, wobbly bench. When you are pushing hundreds of pounds of weight over your body, and the bench breaks, the bar can possibly fall on your neck which is dangerous if you are lifting alone. It may be better for you to get a bench that has a flat base, instead of an arm such as this one. It's really up to you if you want to have adjustable positions on the bench for incline/decline, but just know that for better quality arms, you're going to have to spend a lot more money like into the $200-300 range.

For the mats, your rack is pretty much 4x4' so you will most likely need two mats if you want to do some deadlifting.. Some other people mentioned getting horse stall mats. Those are what I have and you can get them anywhere from $30-50 each and they do the job perfectly. I think the ones that you linked are a little bit too expensive.

Some Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• It is very convenient. You can lift shirtless or even naked.
  
• You can find some nice, loud speakers and listen to whatever music you want and not have to wear headphones
  
• It will save you money in the long run...assuming you continue to use it
  
• You can split up your workouts...i.e. instead of going to a gym for 1 hour you can work out 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night since you don't have to drive back and forth.
  
• You can do some dank live streams and memes for your viewers and have them donate every time you hit a PR.
  
  Cons:
  
  
• It's almost too convenient. You say to yourself, "Oh, I'll just workout first thing tomorrow morning." Then you wake up a little late and have to eat, then tell yourself that you'll workout later that night. Then something comes up later and the cycle perpetuates. The fact that I wasn't actively paying for a gym pass made me less disciplined. But if you can discipline yourself well and find a nice, set schedule, you're good to go.
  
• Gym environment. I don't know if this applies to you, but I would go to the gym with a lot of my friends from school. I definitely started to miss the "gym environment". I thought I would never miss the douchebag bros walking around and having to wait for equipment to free-up, but I just started to feel so lonely working out by myself all of the time. It may be different for you because you have Erin and the chat to workout with you and motivate you.
  
  
  Here is a picture of my friend's home gym that inspired me to make mine.
  
  And here is my own home gym that cost me about $1100.
  
  Sorry if this post is a little jumbled up, my thoughts were kinda all over the place. I hope this helped a little bit.
  
  Feel free to ask me any other questions if you have any.
  

As mentioned before I think squatting in this set up would be an issue as you are pretty tall. If I had a 600 budget heres what I would go for:

• Titan X-3 Squat Stand - 255.60
  
• Rep Fitness Flat Bench - 139.99
  
• Fitness Gear 300lb Olympic Weight Set - 199.98
  
• Total without tax: 595.57
  
  I would look to upgrade to a power bar in the future. But this setup should do the trick for you.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GU2RH5I/ref=abs_brd_tag_dp?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I have the rep fitness flat bench and really like it. I got it for about $100 during black friday, but it's $129 on Amazon. And it qualifies for prime shipping if you have it.

https://www.amazon.com/Rep-Rated-Weight-Bench-Lifting/dp/B00NLPZGU0

Rep has it on their site for $100, but you'll have to pay shipping. https://www.repfitness.com/rep-flat-bench

I'm not sure which would come out cheaper, but that $100 amazon giftcard would only work for amazon obviously. I can't imagine that the difference would be much once you add shipping to ordering it from their site.

It'd be nice if the rep fitness bench had wheels like the titan bench does, but mainly for my fiancee. Having to pick it up to move it is not an issue. And I prefer the 12" wide pad to the 10" wide pad of the titan bench.

I think the titan bench would be fine as long as you're good with the 10" width. If you care about such things, the dimensions for an IPF approved bench are 48L x 12W x 17H. The rep is 47L x 12W x 17.5H. The titan is 47.25L x 10W x 16.25H.

So they're pretty close in dimensions. The padding on the rep bench is pretty good. I can't speak for the titan bench.

Sure. If it helps, here are the exact ones I bought:

• Bench
  
• Barbell set
  
• Squat rack
  
• Weight tree
  
  All are about the cheapest I was able to find. If you have some extra money, I'd definitely suggest a better barbell, or a power rack or at least a 1 piece squat rack instead of the 2 piece that I got. But that works fine for me.

This "only" supports 800 lbs.

This will good enough until you decide on Texas vs Ohio power bar I don't think it has center knurling, but I'm sure you could find a similar one with it for the same money.

This only supports 300 lbs, but you can always rebuild the framing out of 4x4 wooden posts. I can tell you it doesn't collapse even when you have around 500 lbs on it.

Then you just need weights, Craigslist, or if you want new, walmart has them for a little less than 1$ a lb. Make sure your 45's are the right size, or you'll end up doing deficit deadlifts.

Some food for thought. I thought about that weight bench and ended up with this one.

https://amzn.com/B00JQKSPHK

It's a fair bit more expensive, but it looks a lot more stable. Any extra weights you have hang right on the rack to help stabilize it. It's a few inches shorter than I would prefer for racking squats at its tallest, but the easy adjustment and really solid spotter bar make up for it. My main concern with a bench/squat rack is it toppling while I'm already tired and trying to rack the weights. So, stability is key in my opinion.

The other thing was the flat bench. I looked for a while trying to find a cheap one and the main problem I kept coming across was the 300 lb limit on most benches around $50. If you're a big guy, doing a 100 lb bench press, you can quickly add up to a total of 300 lbs on the bench. This Adidas flat bench is only about $80 and can support 600 to 1000 lbs. Which I felt was the better investment.

https://amzn.com/B00WHIG6X8

Here's everything you need for $830 plus tax with shipping from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637608&sr=1-2&keywords=power+rack

http://www.amazon.com/adidas-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637750&sr=1-2&keywords=bench

http://www.amazon.com/USA-Sports-Barbell-Olympic-Weight/dp/B000LJL3SI/ref=sr_1_12?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637666&sr=1-12&keywords=barbell+weight+set

Typically a bench's max weight includes the user. If you're already 270lbs and you're lifting even relatively light weights for your body weight (130+ lbs) you're already at 400 total lbs. Even cheap flat benches can accommodate that weight, but a lot of the integrated bench plus racks can't.

You'll also need to decide between 1" and 2" (Olympic) bars. I've found that cheap 1" bars can even deform dealing with 135 lbs of total weight, so if you're lifting even half your body weight you'll probably want to go towards Olympic if you want stuff that's going to hold up.

So really I think you have some options:

1. Screw the ratings, get whatever's cheapest and use it with some care. Not recommended by your doctor or insurance company, but will probably work. I used some terribly ghetto shit for years in my parents basement when I was a kid (which is how I know how easy it is to bend a 1" bar.
   
   
2. Get the cheap stuff but don't lift too much weight. Plenty of things are rated for 400 lbs, so a light BP would still work.
   
   
3. Shop around and find a very specific heavy duty rated integrated bench and rack, if you can
   
   
4. Get that cheap flat bench and a relatively cheap rack, you can find plenty of discussions on deals around here. This Powerline is popular and often goes cheaper than $320. One huge benefit here is that the rack isn't supporting your body weight plus weights, so the total it needs to be rated for is lower than those integrated BP devices. You can also do a full great workout on it.
   
   
5. Do one of the above via Craigslist or your local variant. You might be able to save a lot of money and/or get way nicer stuff. I accidentally have a gym grade adjustable bench and rack that are like $3K MSP for $750 from a patient craigslist find.
   
   TL;DR Benches max weights describe your weight plus the weight you're benching, so a lot of cheap benches aren't as safe as you might think they are

Power Rack $300

Adjustable Dumbell Set $300

Bench $100

Olympic Barbell Set 300lbs $399 (i got mine @ sports authority on sale for like $250)

You don't expect to lift more than 250lbs? You wholly underestimate your strength. You should be able to pull more than that on a deadlift before you max out on SL 5x5.

IF you really want to stick with lifting and not just a program but being dedicated to lifting regularly, then buy quality. Being thrifty doesn't mean buying cheap. It means getting the most out of what you spend, and good quality stuff will last you a lifetime.

Titan racks are great value, If you can't bolt the T-3 to the floor or a platform, look into getting the free standing T-3 Squat Stand with spotter arms. The T-2 cage isn't as heavy duty but still more than enough for most people.

There are other options but Titan's a good value.

As far as bars, get the CAP-OB86 which is a highly regarded barbell for it's price whihc regularly goes on sale for as low as 100 dollars.

As far as plates go, buy used if your local area has a good craigslist base. Get mostly 45s with a pair of 25s and 10s

Buy the Adidas flat bench which is a cheap but sturdy option to the more beefier $150+ dollar options

You should be fine then. I've been looking around at a setup for myself and this is what I'm seeing (just some choices, not necessarily the right ones).

If you're interested in a platform you can build your own:
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/3xylb2/1_car_garage_home_gym_platform/
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/5apsti/diy_lifting_platform_is_plywood_really_this/
https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/5frfij/if_you_could_do_one_thing_differently_with_your/

For a rack you might as well do a full cage, it is more safe. I used to own a squat rack with safety arms and it was fine. But a full cage allows you a bigger safety net.

Buget cage: http://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/t-3-racks/titan-t-3-series-hd-power-rack-36-deep.html or something like a T-2 from Titan. The T-3 or X3 will be going on sale tomorrow (4/4/2017).

Midline cage: https://www.bellsofsteel.com/product/commercial-power-rack-light/

More expensive cage: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rml-490-power-rack

For the bar I think starting in the mid 200-300 range will be sufficient for a long time. http://www.roguefitness.com/the-ohio-bar and https://www.fringesport.com/collections/barbells/products/bomba-bar-v2-black-20kg-oly-bar seem to be good choices. http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-28-5-mm-boneyard-bars are slightly cheaper, slightly defective (scratch, paint, etc.) if you go with Rogue.

For a bench if you go flat you will find a lot of decent ones for $100-200. It seems all of the sites selling the flat benches around $115 are currently out of stock.

https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491262179&sr=8-1&keywords=adidas+bench in stock (600 lbs rated)

http://www.titan.fitness/strength-equipment/weightlifting-plates-and-bars/benches/flat-bench-1-000-lb-capacity.html (1,000 lbs rated) out of stock

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-bt-bench in stock (1,000 lbs rated).

For plates you can buy used locally. There it seems $0.50/lb is good for steel plates, and around $1/lb for bumper plates. New you can try a local sports store for steel plates. For bumper plates you can get them from a lot of sources https://www.repfitness.com/bars-plates/olympic-plates/bumper-plates/rep-black-bumper-plates

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-hg-2-0-bumper-plates

http://www.vulcanstrength.com/Vulcan-Alpha-Bumper-Plates-Set-p/alphbsets.htm (fancy).

It really depends on how much money you're willing to invest. I personally have a standard bench
https://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Utility-Weight-Bench-Black/dp/B00G44X9D6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496175133&sr=8-3&keywords=gym+bench

along with a few lighter dumbbells and heavier dumbbells. Also have a 30 pound and 50 pound kettlebell and a yoga mat that i do yoga and situps/crunches on. Something else thats helped me is a good DVD workout program (P90X, UFC Fit etc) maybe find one thats right for you. Many of them offer terrific workouts with minimal equipment/space issues.

A set of Olympic weights, a power cage, a bench and a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I got all but the book second-hand, so it can be pretty affordable and safe. (All links except book are for illustrative purposes only, not necessarily recommending those specific units)

I can't agree more with your gym sentiments. Walking through a sea of resting bitch faces at the gym just to see that two people were already waiting for the squat rack tended to ruin my somewhat fragile motivation.

I would recommend against the FT2, having an enforced straight up and down bar path will not help your form and will make your workout less effective for your core/stabilizing muscles. If you're thinking you want something safe for home workouts alone, you can still do that with a free weight barbell setup, spotter arms are wonderful thing.

I haven't tried that many options, but I can tell you what is working for me. I got the titan T3 squat rack and I love it. I highly recommend the spotter arms, I try for bench personal records all the time by myself and I've never had issues when I failed. This rack is stable enough for pull ups but you don't have to screw it to the floor to install. I did have to take off both the weight storage arms so that the plates on the storage arms didn't impede my bench press. http://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/squat-rack.html

For the barbell I got the CAP OB-86B, it's reasonably priced and I'm not doing anything too fancy with the olympic lifts. I expect to get another, better bar and keep it as a beater bar eventually. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K4OPY2

My plates are a mix, I recommend getting some bumper plates off craigslist or a local shop to get started then adding bumper and iron plates as needed. Another option is to get the $300 iron set from Dick's as a starting set, but from what I've heard the bar is fit only to trash/resell. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lb-olympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb

For bench I'd recommend getting something strong and adjustable. I got the flat Adidas bench and it's fine, though I now want an adjustable bench so I can do incline/decline. https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8

Appropriate flooring, resistence bands, and dumbbells are also incredibly helpful.

I've been working out at home since 2013, and have collected most of what I need to workout. The only thing I'm missing is a rack, due to space concerns. Everything I have fits in my closet space. I have the following equipment:

• Powerblock Travel Bench - legs fold and lock on pins, it slides under my bed or in the closet
  
• Ab Roller - any cheap ab roller will do.
  
• Folding yoga mat - I pull this out for deadlifting and when ab rolling to give my knees a break from wood flooring and carpet. Again, any mat will do
  
• Standard barbell - mine holds... 250 lbs I think? Not a ton, but it works, and deadlift is probably the only lift I can even approach that kind of weight. More would be nice, but for that I'll need to start over with olympic gear.
  
• Dumbbells
  
• Around 200 lbs of standard plates in 25, 10, 5, and 2.5 lbs increments
  
• Foam Roller (18 inch model will do, I have 18" and 36" black), lacrosse balls, and Body Back Buddy - for trigger point therapy.
  
• Lifeline Power up Chin-up straps - I don't have any door frames that will support a pull up bar, and live in an apartment so don't want to damage the frames by mounting a permanent bar. These flip over a door and will support pullups, chin-ups, leg lifts, etc, and will work on any three-hinge door.
  
  Granted, you can't get all of these things on your budget, but I'd recommend a pull up bar (or the straps if your doorframe won't support it), some dumbbells (you can buy a 40 lbs set for around $40 in most stores), an 18" foam roller and lacrosse ball, and get some extra plates over time with the excess to get you started (only buy the extra plates when you cap out the 40 lbs, and only if you're going to continue exercising).

The power tower and those rings are exactly what I use and it's perfect! You may also want to get a bench if you're going to be doing rows on the rings because there's a bar in the middle that makes it difficult and slightly dangerous. I bought this bench and it works just fine. You may want a foot and a half or so of clearance. My ceiling isn't particularly high(about 8' or so?) and I clear the bar just fine on pullups.

I'd start by getting three reciprocating saws and the attachments for them for dildos and the fleshlight. then attaching them to.said frame via a mount.

http://www.stockroom.com/Fuck-Saw-P2931.aspx?ref=6212238&gclid=CMaZ9eWyoLICFQoFnQodBiwANg

you'll need basic welding skills, but I think the best place to start is a workout bench to support your torso then build the rest out from that base.

http://www.amazon.com/Apex-JD2-2-Flat-Bench/dp/B000J3MK3S/ref=cm_lmf_img_1

well craigslist would be the best option if you get lucky but a lot of areas aren't great.


for new stuff. power rack: http://www.amazon.com/TDS-Super-Power-Squat-Cage/dp/B00QZ2G7FY/ref=sr_1_6?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1425744976&sr=1-6&keywords=power+rack

barbell: http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-1000-Pound-Capacity/dp/B001K4OPY2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1425746173&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=cap+ob+86+pbck

bench: http://www.amazon.com/adidas-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1425746223&sr=1-1&keywords=bench+adidas

olympic plates: used on craigslist for under 70 cents a lb. alternatively you can get a "300 lb olympic weight set" from dicks that has 255lb of plates and a bar for $200 and just not use the crappy bar that comes with it, or use it and get a better bar later.

here's a better bench than the adidas I would recommend if you can afford it: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-flat-utility-bench

I finally broke down and bought a cheap weight bench but prior to that I used a wooden dining room chair like this one. If a bench isn't in the budget now, maybe you could find a sturdy chair at a yard sale or Goodwill?

I'm going to make the assumption you want to start lifting. It may be wrong, but I'm building off that. So here's the setup I made for about $700. All the racks hold way more than I ever plan to lift, so I should only ever have to buy a few more weights as they wear out over the years.

Powerrack: http://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC

This thing is wonderful. Sturdy as hell, cheap for what it is, and has a pullup bar!

Flat bench: http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S

Least expensive flat bench I could find. It's a little short, but really you only use like 2 feet of it anyways.

Weights: http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10793623

300lbs with an olympic bar. You could easily get your deadlift past that as a novice, but most everything else will probably stall out well below that. The weights are kind of cheap, but 45 lbs is 45 lbs.

That's literally everything you really need to get started doing some nice big lifts. The next thing I'd look at is a cable machine for some iso stuff, but really you can sub in most of those for barbell exercises and such. These 3 items basically make up a whole gym and will last you're whole lifting life unless you get fairly intense about it.

IMPORTANT: The bar you get with the Dick's weight set is kind of crap. It'll hold the 300 lbs probably, but some of the reviews claim it fails around that weight. If you hit the 300 lbs, I would go ahead and buy a nicer bar for about $100 somewhere and use the weights on that. It's a bit of a pain, but it's better than the bar bending and breaking during a 350 lb deadlift on your floor.

http://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC

Power Rack


http://www.amazon.com/adidas-ADI-416-Adidas-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S

Flat Bench

http://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-7-Olympic-Weight-Bar/16541563?findingMethod=rr
Weight Bar

Buy the weight off Craigslist, don't pay more than .50 cents a pound.

Just put together somewhat of a beginning of a home workout space in a spare bedroom. I'll give you the links of what we purchased and you can see if it's something you'd be interested in.

Power Rack

Bench


Weights

I'm sure I'll be adding more stuff to it eventually down the line but as for right now that will cover every lift I need to do. We also purchased a storage rack for the weights when not in use as well as some other misc. stuff but it's not really necessary to own.

My recent purchases... by recent I mean, to be delivered within the next week:

Bench: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MWCN24

Rack: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLMOPM

Barbell set: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Y9WTUQ

Bench is rated to 800lbs. Rack to 400. The reason for the rack was price point and easy adjusting until I can afford a sturdier one. Also, 400 on the rack should be plenty for a while. The "weight capacity" of the bar according to TroyBarbell is 600lbs, so I'm just going to buy more plates down the road as I can afford/need them.

None of the clients I'm going to be training with this equipment can squat more than 200lbs (only two can get that high) so I have no urgent need to have more weight. My own squat (due to back injury/leaving a gym with good equipment) has barely been tested in the past year, so 300 should be plenty to work back up to.

Total: $680.13.

I'll be purchasing some floor mats from a home depot in the area for cheap and some dumbbell handles later, but all of that will add up to probably another $200 total spread out over the next couple months. Can't complain.

Edit: Oh and I've had a pullup bar forever now so I neglected to mention it, but it was $30 back when I got it.

Well, I don't think there's going to be much in that price range, and for under $200 new that's not a bad bench. It will only take you so far, but realistically so far is 3 plates and a 315 squat is getting to intermediate strength levels for most.

Besides the weight capacity, though, it may not be the most confidence inspiring setup depending on your lifting routine. At least that one has some safeties for benching, but if you get stuck on a squat you'll have to drop it to the floor.

My olympic bench is this one: http://images.owneriq.net/download/images/9/9cc6e7af-d8d0-4bff-8f66-c53b93aa0f2f-000001.png

It was pretty awkward to squat off of, the bench gets in the way of setting up to unrack, it slid when I reracked, and with the small catches you have to pay attention and not miss while reracking.

I don't know your budget but it may be a better idea to get a rack and bench. Depends on your longer term plans/goals, but that would give you a safe setup to lift hundreds of pounds in. I ended up getting a Rogue S-1 with safety bars and the adidas flat bench I link below.

A new power rack can be had for $300-ish (http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html), and a flat bench for under $100 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JJM38S) or incline/decline for under $300, cheap 300 lbs bar and plate set for $200 (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10793623).

Less if you get used. Scouring Craigslist lands some good deals but you can't always get what you want right away. Bar and plate sets are quite common. Should be able to find a decent 300 lbs set with a weight tree for $150. If you've got at least 8 feet height for a rack it shouldn't be hard to find used ones.

There's also nicer benches, like this one you can add accessories to: http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/95003.html

This workout bench could probably fit in the passenger seat, and this2 peice barbell could as well. Get some plates at Walmart and you're good to go. You can fit ~250 lbs on each side with 25 LG plates, and they're not that expensive.
Edit: look into stronglifts 5x5 too for something simple and quick

food for thought, I use this cheap Amazon Basics bench and keep it in the shed with the barbell. It doesn't take up too much space and is super lightweight so you can move it in and out pretty easily.

DIY Squat stands or squat buckets - free since you have building materials.

300 lb weight set - $200

Bench - $60

4x6 Stall Mat - $40

Total - $300

Is this bench press a good inexpensive “competition” style bench?

https://www.amazon.com/Rep-FB-4000-Competition-Light-Bench/dp/B07KCN72QF/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=competition+bench&psc=1&qid=1572961067&sr=8-4

I would like to upgrade my home bench and was hoping to get something that will closely resemble a bench used in competition. I’m a little unclear on height/width/“grippy-ness”. Etc.

Thanks!

I got the Titan HD rack and love it. I won an auction on eBay for it for $326; they run one at a time, it seems, so you might want to see if you can save some dough that way. Some are listed w/dip bars included.

What about the adidas flat bench? Solid weight limit, gets great reviews for sturdiness. You can get an adjustable later; do you even need it for 5x5?

I also just snagged a CAP OB-86B barbell and man, that thing is nice. I would definitely spend the $142 on it.

I have gotten all my Oly weight plates on craigslist for cheap so you might find that works for you to save some money.

Have fun!

to piggyback off of /u/HomegymFriend

This is my setup and a little less expensive option:

Necessities

• Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage - 214 (seen as low as 160)
  
  
• Fitness Gear 300 lb. Olympic Weight Set - 200
  
  
• adidas Performance Flat Training Bench - 80
  
  Accessories
  
  
• CAP Barbell 2 in. Plate Rack - 30
  
• 4 ft. x 6 ft. x 3/4 in. Thick Rubber Stall Mat - 43
  
• Valor Fitness MB-A BD-7 Dip Handle Accessory Set - 40
  
  
• Cap Barbell - 112 for future reference
  
  
• Total without tax and accessories 494 with accessories 607 w/o upgraded bar
  
  Google around for promo codes and check camelcamelcamel for additional discounts.
  
  
  If I'm understanding you correctly, you plan on carrying your weights from inside your spare bedroom to outside in order to do OHP? Sounds like a pain in the ass to me but to each his own.

It does not come with a barbell, it comes with a chin up bar that mounts to the top. Still a great price IMO for beginners, I've heard nothing but good things about this company.

I have a small cheap setup currently with a shitty benching rack with the built in bench. I want this rack so I can squat without almost dying.

For a bench if you're just doing something like normal stronglifts with normal flat bench go with: a Marcy Flat Utility Weight Bench, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G44X9D6/ref=cm_sw_r_api_iFzLxb10MB8ZR. Really cheap and well built.

When you start getting into the adjustable type of bench, that's when it becomes bitch. The prices shoot up. For adjustable I'd go with this guy: adidas Utility Bench https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0184R8VD8/ref=cm_sw_r_api_jJzLxbXTAEZPS. Cheap and not too badly built, it's only weighted to 300 pounds so it's obviously not gonna work for long (if you're getting strong and bigger ;)) it's pretty stupid that it has a leg attachment but you can most likely get away with just skipping it's installation.

For a bar, you want Olympic. Look on Amazon, CAP makes cheap stuff that will work until you get big enough to go model and make money.

This is the bench I picked up for bench pressing. $150.

I built a lifting stand set based from End of Three Fitness' plans. The cost was less than $75.

As for a bar and weights. I picked up an olympic bar and plates from a local Salvation Army for about $90. I lucked out and saved myself $300. Check your local thrifts, used sports equipment stores and Sports Authorities.

Forgot to mention, I don't use mats, and control my deadlfts when putting them down and haven't had any complaints from my downstairs neighbors.

Good luck to you!

I have this one and it is very sturdy and well built.

The adidas flat bench is great. It supports 600 lbs (combined body weight and barbell), which is a lot for most people, but does not leave you very much margin.

This is the basics of my current set up. I recommend all these products.

Titan T-3 squat stand with dip bars and spotter arms
http://www.titan.fitness/squat-rack.html

Titan plate storage
http://www.titan.fitness/2-olympic-weight-plate-rack-tree-barbell-holder-organizer-stand.html

I bought my bumpers off craigslist but Titan has theres out now at a reasonable price.
I use 6x45lbs, 2x25lbs, 2x10lbs

Cap 2x45lbs 2x5lbs 2x2.5lbs iron plates
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000ATDSQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Cap OB-86PBck Barbell
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R4EOXM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Valor Fitness DA-6 Flat Bench
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ME0JGW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I made a thread, check my post history. The rings I do push-ups, fly, row, dips, etc etc.

I got my barbell from Rogue in their clearance area. It's the B&R bar since I like the feel of raw metal. The knurling isn't too bad.

Editing to add more: Here's a link to build your own platform that I followed. It would be better to have a helper with the materials because they're kinda heavy to lift/position by yourself. Especially the horse mat. I used 3/4" plywood and 3/4" MDF for the top part so I used 3/4" horse mat to try to make things as flush as possible.

I got this flat bench from Amazon. I'm happy with it. An adjustable would have been preferred but this serves it's purpose just fine and didn't break the bank.

Here are the rings I have, also from Amazon. I compared them to my friends Rogue rings and the differences are minimal. They might be a little "rough" but after using them for a bit, they'll break in and be fine.

All said and done, my whole setup was right around $1500 and I can do almost anything I want.

The reviews I read were for this thread, I just need to double check with the owner’s manual. Many stated that it was rated for 250lbs person, plus up to 350lbs of additional weight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G44X9D6/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER.

I'm looking for an adjustable weight bench I can do crunches and what not on,most I find don't have the full bend on the bench,I am in Canada


I've seen this
https://www.amazon.ca/Golds-Gym-5-9-Weight-Bench/dp/B00AS0LQBY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
But I don't know if thats enough bend

I put together that same power rack about a month ago. So far it works great. It's not exactly industrial grade, and I feel a little uneasy when I have to rack the bar pretty hard and the whole rack shakes. It's rated at 600lbs, though, and I'm nowhere near that, so I'm guessing you shouldn't have to worry about anything breaking if you're one of the 99%.

The bench is another story, though. I went with a flat bench, because adjustable benches with sufficient weight rating are expensive. I've never heard of a bench breaking, but the images I have in my head of the post mechanism collapsing while doing an incline bench press is enough to convince me to go flat. They're a whole hell of a lot cheaper, too. I'm sort of a minimalist, though, and don't see myself fretting too much about not being able to do inclines. If it becomes an issue later, a flat bench is cheap enough right now that I wouldn't have lost too much and it'll probably always serve at least some purpose (it's lightweight, far more portable, etc).

It's worse than that. On page 3 of the PDF: "Do not place more than 210 pounds, including a barbell, on the weight rests."

Two weeks ago I found a Marcy MWB-848 on Craigslist with a six-foot standard barbell and six 25-pound plates for $100. The bench data plate says its good to 600 pounds. I'd have to bench 420 to hit that limit, so I've got some time.

I'd hold out for better.

Wow, thanks, this bar looks awesome! I'd just gone with the one recommended in the FAQ, but this is even better!

What do you think of this bench? It costs $150 + $15ish for tax/shipping/etc. Though it says it's rated for 300lbs on Amazon, the company site says 600, and it's been tested for up to 1000. Also, it has plenty of reviews so I'm pretty confident about it. Just wanted to see if you got a better deal :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008OAZ8B4/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just put this together last night. It’s good quality and incredibly sturdy.

http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8

It's the Adidas Flat Bench, I have been really happy with it and as far as I could tell its thing under $100.

Any thoughts on this one?

I am not sure of your budget? But i just started getting my garage gym together and after countless weeks of looking around at things i came across http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NLPZGU0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 this bench and after getting it and using it a few times i must say it is a well worth buy for the money.

Great idea! Here's the revised list:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00615748000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=31-32092008-2 (best deal I could find)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JJM38S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (bench)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041FQZMW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (mat)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLRVSC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (Power cage)

I'm thinking about not getting the mat because it's getting kind of expensive.

I bought this set a while back when I was first getting things going and it was on sale at the time for $180. The bar is crap but it'll hold the weight (i think 300lb limit). I later bought the training barbell from American barbell when is was on sale for $250 shipped. My bench starting out was the rep fitness flat bench
and its still going, though I stopped benching ~5 months ago. My original rack was wooden and home made, but I saved up some cash and bought this rack, which I love. I also bought safeties for it, but those mostly collect dust now. My Iron plates now just sit in the corner waiting for someone to buy them as I only use bumpers now, which are a mix between the vaughn plates from fringe, onefitwonder plates from fringe and comp bumpers from rogue as well as rogue change plates.

Its been a long time coming and I'm still assembling what I want (ie more bumpers and one day a GHD), but for now it's perfect. I lift in there about 5 hours a week, minimum. If you're lucky, your area will have a good selection on craigslist, mine doesn't so I've had to buy new.

portable workout bench that's somewhat decent and folds to a manageable size.

For cardio, just go out for a decent jog or quick paced walk!

one decent pair of adjustable dumbbells that goes up to 52 pounds each. Not really all that heavy, but enough for a moderate workout daily and can still add up to an intense one if you incorporate calisthenics.

No excuse now! :p

The cheapest and still maintain good quality option I found and used for my garage is:

Bumper Plate Set 230lb with Olympic Bar & Collars - $494 with free shipping

STANDALONE SQUAT STANDS - $130

adidas Flat Bench - $79

Home Pullup Bar - $79

That gets you a total off: $782
And is pretty much anything you'd ever need to get started. You can always later add some more cheaper stuff like individual bumpers, rings, balls, abmat, kettle bell, jump rope etc. Look for craigslist post of homemade plyo boxes and other used equipment like stationary bike, metal plates etc.

Of course it depends on what programming you follow and what they use. Mainsite crossfit is usually pretty minimal...they also have a traveling WOD option that barely uses any equipment.

I really want to. Having an in-home gym is a dream but I don't think it's in cards in my current situation. It's a matter of space availability than anything else.

Do you have any experience with body weight workouts? Would something like dumbells or kettlebells be of any use without the bent?

edit: could something like this be useful?

I picked up this bench $80 (feels sturdy, I'm not a bench connoisseur)
http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S


and this rack $230 (it's not too pretty, welds are uneven but it holds weight and I haven't died yet)
http://www.amazon.com/TDS-C-92560-B-POWER-RACK-HIGH/dp/B008FPVTL6/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1421817752&sr=1-3&keywords=new+york+barbell+rack

I got this slightly cheaper one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G44X9D6/

Though they both say 600lbs so the bench material might be similar. As long you keep your weight over the legs it's probably fine? Just wanted to recommend some caution.

I ended buying a few things because my work schedule doesn't allow me to go to a gym. I wake up at 3:30 am so I can work out. Luckily I have a detached garage so that's where I work out.

Bought this about it the same price from Dick's. I read the reviews that they bar may bend as you get closer to 300 lbs. I have only put 255lbs on it to test DL max.

https://m.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb


I bought this rack for the bench and squat double features. Works great so far no issues. Will be wobbly if you are throwing the weight around but otherwise no issues.

F2C Pair of Adjustable Rack Sturdy Steel Squat Barbell Free Bench Press Stands GYM/Home Gym Portable Dumbbell Racks Stand (one pair/two pcs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018XDH17K?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


This works as a bench. Nothing fancy.

Marcy Flat Utility Weight Bench for Weight Training and Abs Exercises SB-315 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G44X9D6?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


I just bought this 3 months later because my weights were starting to rust a bit. Damn Texas and humidity.
Fitness Reality Olympic Weight Tree/Plate Rack/Bar Holders/Chrome Storage Posts, 1000 lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZBELJ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_n5a6TLPDAevXq

So total cost is $400 all together. Not bad for a home gym. Simple and just what I need. I know in the future I will beat more weights and a new bar but at least this works for now.

I've read a ton of reviews of power racks recently and think I've finally narrowed it down. Right now I'm using a shitty bench with vertical bars that I'm pretty much at the weight limit for.

I'm looking at getting the Rep PR 1100 with dip bars and this bench. I live in colorado so I can in person pick up the power rack and not have to pay shipping.

My budget is right around $300 and since it's probably not safe for me to use my current bench much longer I can't really afford to wait and save up for a really nice power rack.

Is there any reason not to get this combo? I weigh 145lbs and I'm currently benching 150lbs. It looks like this combination will last me a good while and meet all of my current needs.

This is the one I was going to get before I decided on a FID bench instead. I had heard good things about it and it's quite a bit cheaper in price than the Rogue bench.

Just for the rack, or is that for everything.

if everything, you should be able to get a basic 300lb weight set at your current sporting good store for around $300, but check craigslist, as you can get weight much cheaper

for a basic rack, I like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AZW93HRN28RCX

for a bench, I like this http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Athletics-Inc-DA-Bench/dp/B001TJCHES/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

and that should put you around the $800-900 mark depending on if you can get some used weights or not. This pretty much covers the basics, to get you started with Starting Strength


If $800 is just for the rack, then you are probably able to get much better equipment, and I would probably get a package from rogue, as their products are good. So a R3 Rack, weights, bench, and a bar in one package, would come out to about $1500-1700. This would be bumper plates, so would be safe to drop on a platform


other things I would buy

you can get horse stall mat from tractor supply co, and some OSB to make a platform for deadlifting and cleans

A weight tree if conventional weights, or make a weight holder for bumpers, http://board.crossfit.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2060&d=1216003868

Do you recommend this one? Replace dumbell bench press with barbell?


Leg thing at the end of this bench.

You could try secondhand stores or gym equipment resalers for dumbbells. Something like this would take up a lot less space than individual dumbbells, and may be cheaper than Bowflex-style adjustables (depending on your needs, obv).

I own a flat bench like this that stands up in the corner when I'm not using it. I use a stability ball if I want to do something like an incline dumbbell press at home, but a foldable incline bench like this might also work well.

This post is almost exactly what I'm doing. I got the Titan rack and the Fitness Gear weights. Ship to Store is free, so that will save you money on that.

I got this bench instead. It's a simple flat bench, and costs similar to the Fitness Gear. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NLPZGU0?psc=1

I spent a couple hundred bucks. Maybe 300 TOTAL.

Got squat stands like these (can't find the exact model I got):

https://www.amazon.com/ZENY-Dumbbell-Adjustable-Standard-Exercise/dp/B0191GKGUC?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_5

Got a weight bench like this:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-WB-Flat-Weight-Bench/dp/B072Z1WN4S?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&psc=1

That set me up for squats and bench. (I do zercher squats so I don't need the whole squat rack for safety). Deadlifts and rows I do from the floor obviously.

I got 2 barbells for $10 ea at the thrift store. (1" standard size, not olympic size...easier/cheaper to find used weights in 1" size). My weight plates are a mix of iron and concrete-filled plastic -- all bought at the thrift store or craigslist for an average of about .50/lb.

If you want good deals, be patient and acquire what you need slowly. Finding lighter weight plates (5lb-10lb) is super easy, be careful not to get too many. The higher weights (25lb-50lb) are much more rare. If you ever spot them, grab them! I got two nice 50lb plates, and I've never seen another pair for sale used.

That set me up with the basics. I've spent more since then (a weighted belt, chinup bar, jump rope, kettlebells, etc) but those extras are up to you.

Long story short.

I got a treadmill.


A bench


pair of dumbells

all brand new.

I was gonna sell all of this. But I just got out of school from the summer, and now with work all day I feel like I could get into fitness. I'm 200lbs 6' so not terribly overweight, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know any workouts besides picking up a dumbell, but I don't want to be that guy that does 1 workout, has massive biceps, and is tiny everywhere else all around.

I guess what I'm asking is... what kind of workouts should I do so that I'm all-around fit. I'd like some muscle, but nothing crazy.

Also, if anyone can recommend what kind of weights/bar to get for my bench let me know as well. Thanks

OK, to get a decent iron set and a cheap bench, you'd need to spend about $235.

But, you can actually get a 100 lb barbell set, and a weight bench for less than $150. It just won't be very nice.

This:

http://www.amazon.com/100lb-Intermediate-Weight-Set-SET/dp/B0000BZF2C/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1278921824&sr=8-5

And this:

http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Fitness-Standard-Weight-Bench/dp/B002BZ7HSA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=exercise-and-fitness&qid=1278922080&sr=1-2

Or, this barbell set pushes the price up to $151, and is probably more useful longer term (though still not a nice iron set):

http://www.amazon.com/US-Weight-F0115-115-Pound-Dumbbells/dp/B000BGL5I4/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_b

You do get what you pay for when it comes to weights, but any free weights equipment is better than various isometric machines when it comes to getting into shape fast.

I checked my purchase history, it's this one: Power Block Travel Bench (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XEAUDK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_P.7PBbEJDEW43

So far it's worked fine for myself and the husband. Granted we're only lifting a hundred extra pounds max on top of our bodyweight, it's been pretty solid for a couple years.

I have dropped a blanket over it & used it as spare seating for guests, too.

I really prefer working out at home to working out in a gym. It's very relaxing to not worry about someone else needing the equipment, germs, music selection, or appearance judgement. Lets you focus on form and breathing.

There's a price floor that you can't really go below. It just costs a certain number of dollars for the raw materials and shipping, even if labor and complexity are minimized.

Here are the best deals I know of:

Bench:

• Adidas flat bench - $100
  
• Pure Fitness flat bench - $85
  
• Rogue flat bench - ~$205 shipped
  
  Power rack: PPR200X - $300
  
  Barbell: Troy/USA Sports GOB-86 - about $100 shipped (search around for best deal)
  
  Iron plates: Craigslist or local fitness stores (shipping makes online stores not very competitive, although occasionally you can find a deal). Don't pay more than $1/lb. Brand doesn't really matter. They're just heavy round things.
  
  Bumper plates: Troy VTX or Hi-Temp at fringesport.com, or Pendlay Econ V2 at pendlay.com