Really appreciate all the great responses from everybody. Sounds like a resounding yes for it to be worth it. I do like the social aspect of a gym but with 2 little kids, the convenience and time saved significantly outweighs that. Time to pony up some $$$.
For those interested, I’m getting following. Feel free to comment if I’m missing anything you would deem important. I’ll mostly be doing 5x5 strength work or a simple olympic lifting program. I’m also located in Canada so I don’t have access to some of the great US based products.
Rogue RML 3w wall rack (comes with a pull up bar)
Rogue Alpha weight package (Ohio bar plus bumpers)
Rogue bench
Dip bar
I would just suggest getting a way to do Landmine work. Probably one of the most versatile pieces equipment you can have, and it will be super cheap. Helps make up for not having dumbbells.
Also, getting a pulley system is a great add. Spud Inc makes a great one from what I hear, but I personally got a cheaper version on Amazon for $60 or $70 and have been happy with it
Power Blocks are a staple in most collegiate and professional settings, especially when trying to save on space. They aren’t cheap, but dumbbells in general never are. Really, any kind of weight is more expensive than most people tend to think. Power Blocks are sturdy, have a small foot print, and you can get sets that range from 5-50 lbs for a few hundred dollars. Then over time you can buy the expansions to take it to 70 or greater.
Add a set of their rubber bands while ordering all your rogue stuff.
If only having one bench, strongly consider an incline model.
Perhaps of use… plates are still not fully stocked. Sometimes you can get kg plates when pound plates are not available. Your muscles don’t know the difference.
We started with a rack and a barbell. Added dumbbells and bands. Then a cheap Plate loaded cable Machine. That’s plenty of kit for home. Will likely add a GHD/Hyper machine and a cable column or two.
To answer the original question - we love our home gym. Buy good stuff and it lasts pretty much forever in home use.
High end buyers… take a look at the sorinex apex builds. that’s a nice way to go if you have the means. Rack, cable column and lat/row. All connected With storage and will last a long long time. Cost about the same as a nice bike. Rogue has a similar set up called the Cave.
Love my home gym, when you work out the econs it pays off pretty quickly when compared to monthly fees at commercial gyms or crossfit boxes.
The other thing you need to remember is that if you buy quality equipment you can always sell it. Even before pandemic if you have rogue or concept2 level stuff you could get $0.80-$0.90 on the dollar spent.
Depending where you are, I get stuff from Fitness Avenue (Barrie ON). It’s not Rogue quality but it is quite usable for a home gym and even with shipping to Ottawa ON, it’s less expensive than going to the local Fitness Depot to get CAP or Northern Lights. For plates, there seems to be a bunch on Facebook Marketplace and prices vary quite a bit.
I started building a home gym shortly after getting serious about strength sports. They gym I frequented had the basic tools for recreational lifting but not for weightlifting. I asked the owner about some basic equipment changes & he told me it wasn’t safe in that setting…and I thought he had a pretty good argument especially from the perspective of the business owner.
I bought a chapman barbell directly from chapman. I purchased hi temp rubber bumpers and rubber floor mats from jesup gym. I purchased a squat rack from new york barbell along with a cap barbell weightset. All together that cost me $1530.
I’m still using all that same equipment today. So that works out to $66 a year. Not sure how that compares with gym membership expenses but the fun and memories I have from working out in my garage gym can’t be replace.
I second kettlebells. Great workouts, low space need plus especially great for a home gym so you can do the “I have a spare 3 minutes so let’s do 100 swings” thing. Stuff like that is the best part of a home gym.
I’m in the midst of a 100 swings a day for 30 days challenge. A baby version of the 10,000 swing challenge. The consistency is really reaping some benefits. I may never stop.
My brain literally shuts down though, trying to cross over/mix and match… Maybe I could mark the “other” plates with their “normal” values… A few of my 1 rep max’s were actually lower after I realized the 45lb equivalent Kg plates were actually just 44 something.
But yes, the resistance is the idea and a pair of clips could make up some of that difference.
Yep - totally get it. My imperial (pound) set is also marked with KG. I use that set dedicated for deadlifts and admit for that movement I think in pounds. But for other lifts in our power cage I just converted my brain to KG’s.
For the cage, I went to KG plates because they were available when I wanted them and pound plates were backordered forever. The lifts I do in the cage max out at around 250. My wife also uses the cage and barbell + plates. She can handle 45 pound / 20kg plates, but it’s not optimal. So we bought a stack of 10kg plates along with full set of change plates (5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.5). We get the total weight needed using multiple 10kg disks and never have to move a plate heavier than 22 pounds (10kg). If we were lifting more in the 225 and up range this wouldn’t be a great solution and I’d just add 20kg disks. But I’m 63kg bike rider and she’s a 58kg lady so we aren’t setting records in the gym, just being fit and enjoying it If imperial plates were available I’d probably have just stayed with pounds and instead of 10kg just done 25 pounders. Same idea.
It might sound a little funny, and there is some ego satisfaction to seeing 45 pound “big” plates on the bar. But for everyday lifting it is easier and safer to move smaller disks around so am glad we went in that direction.
TL;DR - If buying new stuff it’s worth thinking about the plates and dumbbells a bit and how you will lift and how much weight you need. Can always add later.
I bought a cage-squat/bench set up with weights on FB marketplace for $300. I wanted the safety bars for squats since I would be lifting alone in my basement/garage. I also found an olympic bar for $45 on marketplace (a little rusty but excellent price).
I would highly recommend buying used gear. Sooo many people out there who thought a home gym was a great idea, spent a thousand (or few), then never used it and will let it go for nothing. Weights dont need to look pretty and they all weight the same (new or old).
I wanted it bc I have limited time (FT job and family). The gym is nice, but I cant stand showing up and not having immediate access to the particular equipment I need for my workout. I also like being able to do a shorter interval workout on my bike trainer and step right off of it and go lift afterwards, as opposed to riding a spin bike at the gym (with questionable power reading) or just going there to only lift.
It was worth it for me. I bought 3 years ago at my old apartment (had it in the basement), moved it into my garage at my most recent place. Id recommend it if you feel you will use it. If you doubt using it at least once a week, or consistently, Id just get a gym membership so that you can cancel it. It takes up a fair amount of space and takes a bit to set up / break down.
FWIW… due to covid, many gyms went under. The gear often gets auctioned off. If you know what you want, have the means to pay for delivery, or can go get it yourself, some otherwise unaffordable pieces of equipment can be affordable.
Here is an example of one such auction. A Golds Gym in New Jersey. Can see everything from physio-balls and yoga mats, to top of the line functional trainers along with selling prices.
If imperial plates were available I’d probably have just stayed with pounds and instead of 10kg just done 25 pounders. Same idea.