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Complete home gym

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  • 08-10-2020 11:10am
    #1
    D3V!L
    Registered Users Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭


    I'm looking for advice on sourcing a complete home gym set up. I have the building, floor etc sorted and about 15qm to workout.

    I do purely weights in the gym and any cardio I do is on my bicycle outside. Ideally I'm looking for a rack system with integrated cable machine that I can hit all body sections.


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    #2
    Cill94
    Registered Users Posts: 1,359 ✭✭✭Cill94


    Essentials would be rack, barbell, weights, collars.

    To really round it out then you could purchase a bench, cable pulley system (Spud Inc. is a decent one I've used before), and potentially some dumbbells.

    Only thing in that list that you really need to go high quality on is the barbell. Decent one will cost €250, but likely more in the 300 range. Treat it good and it could last 20 years though. https://www.garagegymreviews.com/best-olympic-barbell

    The rest could be sourced from cheaper sites like Irish Lifting, McSport, D8, or second hand from buy and sell websites.


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    #3
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,032 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    The main issue you will have at the moment is availability of equipment.

    If you can spend quite a bit you will be able to get everything you need here and there. If you are on a budget you might have to wait for things to be back in stock, or pre-order.

    I agree with Cill94 that a pulley system might be your easiest way to go if you want to be able to do cable stack style training. Another option is to get a range of bands and adapt your exercises, they can be used for basic things like tricep push-downs, curls.

    Strength Shop are taking pre-orders for cast iron plates at the moment. They won't be massively accurate but fine for most training. This is a cheap option, relatively speaking.

    Elite FTS UK have good quality power bars currently in stock (Iron Cowboy). At £360 this is not a cheap option but it'll be a great bar. They have a 'garage line' bolt together rack and flat bench that can be ordered at the moment also, they would come in under 1k and would be quality. I suspect there is a lead time of a couple of months although I see their site says they ship in 'a couple of weeks'. Elite FTS don't make their own gear, but as a brand they've been around a long time and are good. The UK wing I have dealt with and are fine also. I suspect it's imported stuff and some things fabricated in the UK. https://www.elitefts.co.uk/eliteftstm-garage-line-power-rack-bolted.html

    Blk Box has utility squat stands and Belfast bar in stock now. £630 for both. They've got a utility quarter rack as well for £461 that would allow for pull-ups and more stability when racking the bar. They have larger racks also but when I was looking I felt even the smallest was sized more for a commercial gym than most people's home set-ups, worth a look though. I have a dumbbell rack and other gear from Blk Box and the build quality is very good.

    Can I offer a general word of advice... Check your ceiling height in respect of whatever rack you are thinking of buying. Many sheds, garages and lower ceiling rooms are actually too low for a lot of racks. Another thing to consider is what happens if you are pressing overhead, you need a surprising amount of ceiling height for this.


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    #4
    caesar
    Registered Users Posts: 747 ✭✭✭caesar


    In the same boat. I posted a thread on Tuesday there — Home/Garage Gym for Resistance Training with a few links that might be helpful (quoted my post below).

    @Mods might be helpful to merge these or feel free to delete my original one.

    I should have clarified: when I said resistance training there I meant for building strength and mass, so effectively strength training and bodybuilding focused. I suspect based on what you said that your goals are similar.

    As you dig into things, you'll see people evangelising different equipment, but not necessarily based on what you're goals and style of training are. However, there are options that are "all-purpose".

    Training styles generally fall into powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting (with strongman and CrossFit being other variants of alongside these forms of strength training). Then there's bodybuilding which is more about size and shape rather than strenght You probably know the ins and outs of that already, but a lot of people don't give it much thought when buying equipment never mind their programme. I didn't. And I don't mention it to kick off a vigorous debate on the merits of each style :p All that matters here is your goals, and getting the most suitable equipment for your needs.

    To that end, bumper plates probably aren't worth the cost if you aren't going to be dropping them from a height. Albeit, you should think about getting some mats to protect the floor. Mats for under horses are supposedly as good as any. Good explainer here and here on plates (note: buyer beware point on bumpers). Or if you prefer videos check out this.

    Anyway, main point is there's not much use buying an expensive bar if you're going to put crappy plates on them as they could end up damaging the bar. From reading elsewhere, I've gathered a bar for everyday use makes a more sense than spending on a "competition" bar, which might (aside from cost) not be the most comfortable to train with. You still want to invest in good bar as others have said (that tends to be harder with packages/bundles...)

    Options wise, there's no shortage, but as you whittle down to what suits your needs training and budget-wise and what's in stock, it quickly narrows in. Suppose you don't care about mixing brands and types of equipment, etc.. In that case, you might get something faster and more suitable. Irrespective of brands matching, convenience and price are hard to look away from when buying everything together as package/bundle or from the same place. You are usually making some tradeoff in doing that though as the best rack, bench or whatever for your budget aren't necessarily going from the same brand or retailer.

    +1 on the ceiling height comment :D, have seen that elsewhere.

    Generally: Some great advice on both Garage Gym Reviews youtube channel (just ignore the outrageous gyms :pac:) and blog (as linked by Cill94) and Brandon Campbell's Youtube channel has some very helpful videos.

    Bottom line: I'm talking more here about what's optimal; weight is weight and your training programme and consistency matter more here. I didn't bat an eyelid half the time when training in commercial gyms unless the equipment was really high quality, utter crap or being hogged :L

    Anyway, it can get quite technical and detailed, but if you're going the shelling out €€€ and you intend to invest for the longer term then best to buy it right the first time. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

    Everything I've posted is from my own research, albeit from decent sources. I'm not an expert here so still looking for input on the below on my post.

    I'm further along than I was, but it's now looking like I'm going to spending more so being a bit more considered with it.

    caesar wrote: »
    Folks,

    I went back to the gym the other week but I'm not banking on them staying open, and I'm not big into training without proper weights—tried it—didn't last. Even if gyms remain open, the local ones in the west here are expensive for what they are (compared to the UK). And all in, I haven't been training half as much as I was pre-March—feeling it on all fronts.

    Going to bite the bullet and buy equipment for a home/garage gym. Emptied the shed. It won't be the warmest but that's what warmups are for :pac: I couldn't see a specific thread on it, so here we are.

    I looked into a few months back, and it still seems like a minefield with stock levels, shipping times, and unsurprisingly fabrication companies started selling plates etc. giving us more options :D No doubt a flood of equipment will be available in a few months at way lower prices. I've already seen some gyms were selling off equipment to make space in light of social distancing. Others are likely to shut up shop and sell off stuff and then there's the post-COVID sell-off from people. But, I don't fancy waiting months anymore to get back training properly.

    From reading the other threads, I reckon a few more are on the fence about building a home set up. So, I've rounded up a few links—albeit based explicitly on the set up I'm after.

    Those of you who've already gone down this route, if you have anything to share, then please do.

    It's either I try to do it cheapish (but safe) or I go to the other end of the scale and invest in semi-commercial grade /decent quality. The low-end "home" gym grade equipment seems flimsy as...so not going near anything rickety. I would sooner buy what I need from the steel fabricators—which I am seriously considering.

    On doing it cheap but not flimsy front, I toyed with the idea of doing my own Buff Dudes style build and making some concrete weights like so, but if it didn't happen in the past six months, it's not going to now.

    Keeping my set up simple in terms of equipment. I'll add in a decent set of quick adjustable dumbells down the line, but for now, getting the fundamentals covered.


    Equipment on my shopping list
    • Squat rack or Power cage (veering towards a power cage for safety and versatility reasons...a lat pulldown/cable pulley would be a massive addition, though a half rack with storage is tempting. Power cages with storage are over what I would spend)
    • 20KG Olympic barbell
    • Solid bench (ideally adjustable)
    • 100KG weights plus: For now, I won't need more than 140kg and even at that'll 140KG would only be for deadlifts. I don't have a preference for steel/iron v bumper plates. Not worried about noise and even if I go the bumper route I'll likely pick up some horse mats to protect the concrete floor. I don't do Olympic lifting so won't be dropping weight from a height.

    Here's the fun bit, the potential options.


    Fabrication guys (Cheapish route)

    The Weight Stand Company—UK
    Mace Muscles—UK
    Powerspec / Power_Spec IG Page—NI
    CMC Fabrication/ CMC Fabrication Facebook Page—NI

    :cool: Has anyone tried these or have any opinions? I appreciate weight accuracy might be an issue, but I can live with that if going cheap. They seem more durable than the low-end stuff being churned out by some of more well-known brands. The sizing of the plates and the weight of the bars might be out of kilter with the norm, but it's a tradeoff I might be willing to make.


    Retailers—I've linked to ranges or specific packages/options that fit what I need. It's the more expensive route and will have to play the stock/ delivery waiting game. Would prefer not to mix and match

    Exerciseequipment.ie—ROI (it's a Shopify site and possibly a new(ish) company as found it via Dondedeal rather than a Google search)
    Gym Direct main site / Gym Direct Donedeal (at least it seems like the same company)—ROI
    Mcsport.ie—ROI
    Strengthandfitness.ie—ROI
    Strengthshop.ie—ROI
    Fitnessequipmentni.co.uk—ROI
    Again Faster—UK
    Mirafit—UK

    :eek: Plenty of options there, though what's in stock throughout this week will limit my choice. Has anyone tried these or does anyone have any opinions? Mirafit looks good but wondering about the quality. Which leads me on to.

    *Brands: I've a good handle on ones in the US market from youtube videos: Rouge, Ivanko, Titan, Rep, Fringe, Eleiko, Troy, Cap. But, I've no idea on how the likes of HIT, Jordan, Bolt or Primal Strenght I see mentioned on a lot of Irish sites stack up?


    Other Donedeal / Adverts.ie Trade sellers without their own websites / social media (as far as I can see)

    Andy here isn't listed as a private seller but has a few bits (weight plate and bar). He seems to be selling items from Againfaster.eu as the item descriptions are pretty much a copy and paste from their site :p—NI
    Gymless—ROI

    Aside from these...

    The only other option is snapping up something from a private seller(s). Still, most of what I've seems like junk that's been pulled out of sheds during home clear-outs and stuff that was chruned out in March and April that people regretted buying. It's also hard to get what I need altogether, though not completely averse to buying from different private sellers. I've already trawled through Donedeal and Adverts. Meaning I do have a few bits shortlisted from these but wanted to get some thoughts here first.


    Questions

    Is there any of the above I should steer clear of or any strong recommendations in favour of the above options? Be that brands, retailers, donedeal options or specific bits of equipment.

    With some of the options being UK based would Parcel Motel with pickup at a depot be out of the question (given the weight involved).


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    #5
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,032 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    A few general thoughts on some of the topics mentioned above.

    Cast iron plates versus bumpers

    I've owned and used both.

    The ultimate advantage of cast iron plates is that they are usually the cheapest option. The downsides are that they are noisier, harder on the floor and your bar in general, can be fairly inaccurate in the case of budget plates (Out by as much as 2kg on larger plates) and shouldn't really be used for anything other than totally controlled handling of the loaded barbell.

    If I was a novice, on a budget, and mainly wanted to bench, press, squat, deadlift and row, I would get cast iron plates.

    Bumper plates are essential if you want to practice any clean or snatch variation. If you need that then if you are on a budget you can buy lower-end bumper plates but a downside of these is that they tend to either be wafer thin and prone to warping (5kg bumpers) or else are massively thick and annoying and still oddly fragile (Cracking over time). If you can afford it and get a middle or higher end set however, you end up with bumper plates that are quieter than iron plates, not usually massively thick necessarily and which are generally the best option for anyone, budget allowing. For example, I have Rogue competition bumpers and they are just faultless. True weight, colour coded, durable and nicely brushed metal core so they slide cleanly on and off the bar every time. In the past I've had Jordan bumpers that were cheaper and also 'good'.

    One thing to consider with bumpers is that they are more forgiving on the floor and your bar. There's just less impact and vibration in general. If you have the money go for bumpers.

    Which leads me on to:-

    Flooring

    If you are lifting on a concrete surface then you're going to want to seal that if it hasn't been sealed already, and ideally you are going to want to consider putting down ply and then covering that with matting. At that point you can get away with deadlifting whether you've got iron plates or bumpers, but in general the bumpers are still going to be quieter and offer more longevity.

    In terms of matting although you can use horse mats and this is what a lot of Americans seem to go for, my suggestion would be to buy 47mm 1sqm mats from Strength Shop UK. They are a good few mm thicker than similar matting sold by the likes of Blk Box and it is genuinely good quality. They can be cut to size with a Stanley knife for going around corners etc.

    Barbells

    Honestly I think this is a situation where there is a bare minimum spend that can get you a barbell that will last you years and years (Perhaps even forever). But that bare minimum spend is more than some people are comfortable spending... But it's a bit like shoes. If you buy a cheap barbell you might find yourself having to buy another one in 2-5 years time, depending.

    It's also the item you're going to have in your hands every training session. Don't you want something you're actually happy with any enjoy using, versus something you know is a bit ****?

    Without going completely down the rabbit hole, I'm going to throw out there that for most people's purposes the Belfast bar from Blk Box is a good choice that is in stock now. The knurling is passive enough that novices or people who want to use this bar for crosstraining / the odd bit of cleaning won't find it uncomfortable. The specs in terms of what the bar can withstand are a bit opaque but I've used this bar a few times in gyms and have been reasonably impressed.

    In this category I would also mention a budget option as being the Strength Shop Bastard Bar. This is also an imported bar with reportedly similar specs to the Belfast bar. However, the quality control is a bit dubious and there are some negative reviews out there on that score.

    The best quality all-rounder might be a Rogue 2.0 or Rogue Ohio bar, if you can get one in stock, and are willing to pay the extra. You know Rogue 100% stand over the specs and build quality on either of these bars.

    If you are sure you are not going to be cleaning or snatching, and are a bit more confident as a lifter, then it may be worth opting for a power bar which is going to have much more aggressive knurling and be significantly stiffer. If you aren't sure why these are worthwhile then probably not a bar worth considering yet. In terms of power bars Strength Shop have a Bastard Power Bar, there's the Rogue Ohio Power Bar. I have the Rogue Ohio Power Bar and IMO it's the industry standard power bar.

    In terms of other brands, for bars, I would consider Jordan and Wolverson as 'good' and above Strength Shop in terms of quality. I would put ATX and Rogue next. Then atop them I would put Eleiko and some particular high end barbells from Rogue.

    If all of the above are out of your budget and you have to buy a budget barbell then I would opt for Strength Shop's 2028 bar if you can get it in stock. To be honest it is a decent barbell for any novice and if it does warp or just start to annoy you then that is the time to upgrade, and you will know by then what you actually want.

    I see Wolverson does have a few bars in stock at the moment. They'll also be imported barbells, but like Blk Box I suspect they might curate what they sell a bit better than Strength Shop. The other bar I know is in stock is the Elite FTS UK Iron Cowboy which would be comparable to a Rogue Ohio Bar.


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    #6
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,024 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    caesar wrote: »
    In the same boat. I posted a thread on Tuesday there — Home/Garage Gym for Resistance Training with a few links that might be helpful (quoted my post below).
    Good post and some good info there.

    But as an aside;
    Training styles generally fall into powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting (with strongman and CrossFit being other variants of alongside these forms of strength training). Then there's bodybuilding which is more about size and shape rather than strenght

    That's a pretty poor article. Starts off ok with the powerlifting summary.
    But the Olympic description is bizarre.
    When you compare Olympic weightlifting vs. powerlifting, "Olympic lifting dips more into aerobic conditioning than powerlifting does," says Takacs, meaning the intensity is lower, but your heart rate stays up for an extended period. This sort of conditioning is required, as Olympic lifting is done at a faster tempo. A typical workout focused on metabolic conditioning could include 5 rounds of an 800-meter run, 15 kettlebell swings, and 10 deadlifts.

    They seem to be confusing oly lifting with crossfit metcons.
    One of the major benefits of Olympic weightlifting is that it helps develop explosive power. It also tends to recruit more muscles than other types of strength training, making it great for fat loss, says Takacs.
    "If you're doing big fundamental lifts with a barbell, you're going to create more strain or stress on your body, so after you work out your body immediately goes to repair the tiny muscle fiber tears, called microtears," she explains. "The more that you can break down your muscles, the harder your body has to work to recover, and when it recovers, it builds new lean muscle." This lean muscle will help to burn fat.
    That's the standard weightlifting fat loss bro science. Doesn't work like that.
    Anyway, know you were just linking the article, not endorsing it. Just wanted to point it out for anyone starting out.

    Equipment info is good. agree with paying for quality now.


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    #7
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,032 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    Rogue Europe has E-coat Ohio bars back in stock... €381.15, excluding shipping. Great all-round US made bar that will beat the pants off most imported Chinese bars.

    They've also got 8 different squat stands back in stock. https://www.rogueeurope.eu/rogue-rigs-racks/squat-stands?is_salable[0]=1

    SML-2 or SML2-C would be good shouts for a home training set up, although annoyingly I think the catcher arms are still not in stock.

    This type of design - squat stands with a pull-up bar and catcher arms - can also be fabricated at a slightly lower price by some Irish gym equipment companies.

    Just throwing this up in case anyone is looking to pull the trigger on gear before we have our circuit break lockdown ;)


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    #8
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,024 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Rogue racks look insanely good.
    Working on a project right now with rogue being the preferred supplier. Multiple banshee racks with half coming with the full set of accessories
    https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-monster-rm-8-banshee


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    #9
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users Posts: 12,727 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    Mellor wrote: »
    Rogue racks look insanely good.
    Working on a project right now with rogue being the preferred supplier. Multiple banshee racks with half coming with the full set of accessories
    https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-monster-rm-8-banshee

    Is it wrong that I got slightly aroused when I hit that link?


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    #10
    Danny552
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 58 ✭✭Danny552


    Hi folks looking to get a pair of dumbbells
    Where would be the best place to get them

    What size would you recommend
    Looking at 15kg to 20kg

    I have a TRX set up
    Pull up bar


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    #11
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,552 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Danny552 wrote: »
    Hi folks looking to get a pair of dumbbells
    Where would be the best place to get them

    What size would you recommend
    Looking at 15kg to 20kg

    I have a TRX set up
    Pull up bar

    Depends on your strength levels and what exercises you plan to do with them.


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    #12
    Danny552
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 58 ✭✭Danny552


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Depends on your strength levels and what exercises you plan to do with them.

    Plan on doing full body workout with them


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    #13
    caesar
    Registered Users Posts: 747 ✭✭✭caesar


    Mellor wrote: »
    Good post and some good info there.

    But as an aside;


    That's a pretty poor article. Starts off ok with the powerlifting summary.
    But the Olympic description is bizarre.



    They seem to be confusing oly lifting with crossfit metcons.


    That's the standard weightlifting fat loss bro science. Doesn't work like that.
    Anyway, know you were just linking the article, not endorsing it. Just wanted to point it out for anyone starting out.

    Equipment info is good. agree with paying for quality now.

    Good flag. I'd only read the first part, didn't appreciate it went a bit wayward further down.

    Black Sheep wrote: »
    Rogue Europe has E-coat Ohio bars back in stock... €381.15, excluding shipping. Great all-round US made bar that will beat the pants off most imported Chinese bars.

    They've also got 8 different squat stands back in stock. https://www.rogueeurope.eu/rogue-rigs-racks/squat-stands?is_salable[0]=1

    SML-2 or SML2-C would be good shouts for a home training set up, although annoyingly I think the catcher arms are still not in stock.

    This type of design - squat stands with a pull-up bar and catcher arms - can also be fabricated at a slightly lower price by some Irish gym equipment companies.

    Just throwing this up in case anyone is looking to pull the trigger on gear before we have our circuit break lockdown ;)


    The more I look, the more Im convinced that Rogue is where my money will be going. I was looking at (drolling over) the RM-4 or RML-490. Both tick a lot of boxes.

    I think the odds of Rouge doing their "Matte Black November" this year are low, but who knows, maybe for pre-orders.... I've asked them anyway. If they are, then Im happy to hold out and make the investment then. I've moved far way from cheap fabricated stuff :D

    Appreiciate you taking the time to respond re cast plates v bumpers, flooring and barbell options. On flooring, where you mentioned sealing the floor, you mean with a epoxy they paint / solution yeah?
    Danny552 wrote: »
    Hi folks looking to get a pair of dumbbells
    Where would be the best place to get them

    What size would you recommend
    Looking at 15kg to 20kg

    I have a TRX set up
    Pull up bar

    Hard to say Danny—without giving a generic answer which is probably not helpful.

    I think the folks here need more info on what you're priorities are. E.g. the sort of training you're doing, goals, frequency. And is it just a couple of dumbbells to get you by for a while? Or is it a longer term investment. Do you want a range of weights? And if so are you considering an adjustable set. Budget etc.


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    #14
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,032 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    Rogue sent out an email saying they are basically not doing the usual deals for matte Black Friday... Doesn't make sense as they’re still trying to catch up to demand.

    So no point waiting I’m afraid, grab stuff while it’s there.

    Dug out the mail. It’s actually the US page, but I doubt the EU page will differ.

    A snippet-

    “Straight out of the gate, we are not going to have a full-on Matte Black Friday event this year. The stock on the items we normally run our deals on just isn’t there. Since March we have been working very hard to create a safe working environment during a pandemic while increasing our operations capacity.

    We want to be transparent and set expectations.

    What to expect:

    5/$5: We will not be doing 5/$5
    Hundo Pricing: We will not be doing Hundo with exception of normal products.
    Rogue MFG Hot Deals: We will not be running Hot deals on the manufactured items as we have in the past.
    Non-Rogue Brand Deals: Items where the company is running a deal price we will most likely have the same thing running.“


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    #15
    sligolad1
    Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭sligolad1


    I wonder will more gym equipment become available second hand over the next while given the new lockdown measures and gyms being forced to scale back/close down?


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    #16
    Hector.Mann
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Hector.Mann


    Ever since Covid i've found it very tough to find equipment for cheap. I have ended up settling for just a bench press and a few weights. Hoping to maybe get some dumbbells soon though.


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    #17
    bladespin
    Registered Users Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭bladespin


    Hens teeth at the moment.


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    #18
    Hector.Mann
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Hector.Mann


    I picked up some cheap equipment second hand but I might have just lucked out with a good deal...


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    #19
    Hector.Mann
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Hector.Mann


    Look on Facebook Marketplace. Loads of equipment


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    #20
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,295 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Keep an eye on DoneDeal. Lately I'm seeing what look to multiple gym cardio machines going online. Perhaps ring them and ask if they have any weights machines going?


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    #21
    melissajeffrey
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭melissajeffrey


    I have make my room like a gym, but I collected all my fitness equipment after time by time.


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    #22
    GazzaL
    Registered Users Posts: 1,395 ✭✭✭GazzaL


    I'm looking at setting up a home gym along these lines:

    Squat Rack €240: https://powerballs.com/shop/adjustable-squat-rack-ireland

    Bench €100: https://powerballs.com/shop/adjustable-weight-bench

    100kg Weights €420

    Barbell €345

    Total = €1105

    Need to add in a pull-up bar too, or upgrade the squat rack. I don't want to end up looking at what I've bought and thinking it's rubbish and I should've spent a little bit more.

    What do ye think?


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    #23
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users Posts: 12,727 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    GazzaL wrote: »
    I'm looking at setting up a home gym along these lines:

    Squat Rack €240: https://powerballs.com/shop/adjustable-squat-rack-ireland

    Bench €100: https://powerballs.com/shop/adjustable-weight-bench

    100kg Weights €420: https://www.blkboxfitness.com/products/blk-box-heavy-duty-impact-bumpers?variant=33094985252927

    Barbell €345: https://www.blkboxfitness.com/collections/bars-plates/products/blk-box-belfast-bar-7ft-20kg-olympic-barbell

    Total = €1105

    Need to add in a pull-up bar too, or upgrade the squat rack. I don't want to end up looking at what I've bought and thinking it's rubbish and I should've spent a little bit more.

    What do ye think?

    You could get a barbell for half that. There’s guys on done deal that make steel Olympic plates slot cheaper too. One in Fermanagh and one in Carlow. That’d bring your price well below 1k.


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    #24
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,033 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    On the flooring issue, I got these from mcsport and they are pretty good, only 15mm so you might double up if you are planning on dropping from height, but they are very solid for 25 quid

    https://www.mcsport.ie/products/rubber-flooring-tile-1m-x-1m-x-15mm-rubtilestrt
    RUBTILESTRT___3___L.jpg?v=1598608617


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    #25
    david992
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭david992


    I'm thinking about making a home gym right now, too. A treadmill, some trainers for different muscle groups, I think I'll start with that. It seems like it would take a lot of money.


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    #26
    bladespin
    Registered Users Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭bladespin


    david992 wrote: »
    I'm thinking about making a home gym right now, too. A treadmill, some trainers for different muscle groups, I think I'll start with that. It seems like it would take a lot of money.

    The best advice I can offer at the moment is to try to hold off until things open up again, there's a supply and demand issue right now so prices are absolutely premium (ridiculous), especially on 'used' gear - adverts etc.

    Once the main distribution outlets open up again I'm sure we'll see a big drop in prices.


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    #27
    caesar
    Registered Users Posts: 747 ✭✭✭caesar


    bladespin wrote: »
    The best advice I can offer at the moment is to try to hold off until things open up again, there's a supply and demand issue right now so prices are absolutely premium (ridiculous), especially on 'used' gear - adverts etc.

    Once the main distribution outlets open up again I'm sure we'll see a big drop in prices.

    Yeah, secondhand stuff certainly is pricey. And from what I gather, some the middle of the road company's have increased their prices, but I haven't been tracking them to say for sure and I've no idea if it's the retailers or manufactures who've been making hay there. Still, I don't believe the direct to consumer brands like Rouge, Blk Box, and Bulldog have changed their pricing. Yeah they were pricey already, but it seems to be more a case of 1. them not doing deals they might have done before and 2. still catching up on supply, so little stock or long-ish lead times.

    And no doubt there is a supply and demand issue on the consumer side, but I'm wondering how sustained that still is. I feel like most people who would have splurged on home stuff would have done so already, no? You will have some people who got stuff to tie them over and are now investing in and upgrading their home set up, but it can't be a significant amount of people as proportion. And surely the business to business side has taken a hit for those gym equipment suppliers. So on balance I wonder how 2021 has started for the sector and how that will play into prices.

    As an aside, I reckon the only manufacturers who are actually trying to scale their supply are the ones who are eying more markets. That way, when this consumer side surge in demand falls away, they will still have a market.

    So, if anyone buying is thinking of getting their stuff from the likes of Rouge, Blk Box, Bulldog etc, then I'm not convinced there is much advantage to waiting longer. I get what your saying though it's hard not to see a glut in the second-hand market either when gyms open up (or sadly close down).

    And all that aside, the other watch out is steel prices and logistics (Brexit factor etc.). Steel costs are on the rise. Several factors, but Covid hasn't been exactly kind manufacturing output.

    Maybe someone on the forum knows more, but I don't think it's cut and dry that equipment prices will drop back in the next 6-12 months.


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    #28
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,032 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    There’s no point in waiting, prices are not going to drop to any significant degree if buying new.

    But also, as mentioned above, most suppliers have not actually increased their pricing during the pandemic. If anyone can give examples to the contrary I would be interested though.

    I don’t see much used equipment for sale right now I would actually buy. Worth keeping an eye on some of the Facebook groups rather than adverts/done deal.


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    #29
    zweton
    Registered Users Posts: 2,683 ✭✭✭zweton


    Folks do you think these are good quality resistance bands?

    https://powerballs.com/shop/pull-up-resistance-bands


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    #30
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,552 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    zweton wrote: »
    Folks do you think these are good quality resistance bands?

    https://powerballs.com/shop/pull-up-resistance-bands

    They look alright but it's hard to know until you try them....but that's mostly a personal thing. I got mini bands that looked fine but even the ones with the max resistance were lighter than I wanted. For that price, it's worth a go though. Should be fine


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    #31
    HansKroenke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 254 ✭✭HansKroenke


    Black Sheep wrote: »
    There’s no point in waiting, prices are not going to drop to any significant degree if buying new.

    But also, as mentioned above, most suppliers have not actually increased their pricing during the pandemic. If anyone can give examples to the contrary I would be interested though.

    I don’t see much used equipment for sale right now I would actually buy. Worth keeping an eye on some of the Facebook groups rather than adverts/done deal.

    I can't find anything for sale from the Irish companies in terms of dumbbells. Even second hand dumbbells are few and far between. One website said stock is due back in by Paddy's Day.

    There is a seller on done deal and adverts calling himself Dumbbell King, who makes them himself. Good prices and they look okay but has anyone bought and do you have any opinions?


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