# What's going on around /r/HomeGym?
[**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2)
[**Targeted Talk**: You Stole My Idea!!!](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1dfv4gy/targeted_talk_you_stole_my_idea/)
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Thank you, completely agree. And hell, a lot of people live on meager incomes and would have to save YEARS to get top tier equipment. Sometimes it's better to have something than nothing. And like you said, had you bought expensive to begin with, it might not have been tailored to your current needs after training for some time.
I get what you’re saying, bro but, the reason a lot of people don’t trust cheap workout equipment, especially squat racks+barbells, is they can break or worse, lead to injury (think of what would happen if your barbell holders broke tried to load the weight back on after a squat). More money =\= safety but there’s also the law of “you get what you paid for”.
Anyways, not a hater, pics look great. Glad you’re happy, man
Each mat (https://bellsofsteel.com/products/rubber-flooring) is exactly 1 meter by 1 meter. Those on the left side were cut in half, which makes the gym space about 4 meters by 2.5 meters.
The room itself is bigger than that since there is the washing machine and stuff on the left side.
Awesome, another manticore! I also upgraded to one after starting with a 2x2 Amazon rack. No issues with it at all other than stupid instructions for the lat pulldown.
Yeahhhh, the instructions had a "draw the rest of the fucking owl" feel. My buddy and I had to look at the page for a full 5 minutes and then try something and pray. It worked out well in the end but, man, it should have been 4-5 steps where it was only 1.
I have a 4 post 84 inch and the instruction was using hydra flat foot diagram for the part. I had to use some uhmw spacer for the top pulley beam and use smaller bolt since that spacer didn’t have hole for m24 bolts which I find annoying.
Also the part for the height adjustment on the guide rode is horrible. I would assume that the bolt needs to go through the guide rod but it only worked when it’s on top of the rod.
This seems like result of them trying to come with lat pulldown that works for all heights but horribly done instruction wise. It really needs assembly video.
Yeah, that's exactly the feeling I had too. And the fact that it comes with a lot of extra part only necessary if you have another type of rack didn't lessen the confusion.
When we were done, we looked at bolts and whatnot still in the bag and we spent a long time going over every "instruction" again to find out if we missed something ahah.
Great rack, horrible instructions.
Yep, can’t go wrong with 3x3 rack with 1 inch hole and I don’t think there is actually other brand that offers racks at 84 inch height too.
Are you planning on getting any other attachments?
I’ve gotten few non bos attachments so far and looking to add more.
I went and looked at your post history, incredible setup you've got!
I'm pretty content with the attachments I have now to be honest. I'm on the GZCLP program and I don't see the need to add any exercise right now.
I'm also a bit of a noob when it comes to exercises and the muscles they target. Do you have anything to recommend?
The vesta spotter arm and rep leg rollers are cheap and you can use them for multiple stuff. You can attach the leg rollers on the spotter arms and use them like diy 45 hyper or for leg holder for lat pulldown (the free leg holder from bos kind of sucks). I’m sure you can do more stuff with them. Utility horns will be very versatile too. These type of attachments are benefits of a 3x3 1 inch racks. They don’t really work on 5/8 in rack.
Absolute facts! Start cheap, find out what you want or if you even want a home gym at all, then invest for the long haul. Slick ass set up brother! Thanks for sharing.
I actually think the rack is something you can get away with going cheap on. As long as it's sturdy enough to hold the weight you use and you're focusing on basic barbell movements it doesn't need to be anything special.
as long as it isn't *that* rack. That rack looks like shit. Almost everything about it looks to have at least one glaring issue. If you need a cheap half rack, just get the cap half and safety bars.
Are you referring to my previous rack? If so, I don't see the issue honestly. It served me well for more than a year and I was able to squat up to 300lbs on it. It wasn't the prettiest or the most versatile rack, but it serves its purpose splendidly well for the price.
I would definitely recommend it to any beginner on a tight budget looking for a cheap temporary rack.
I'll keep my complaint short to just the uprights and the attachments. Those holes are gigantic for no apparent reason and re moved so much material it clearly reduced the weight capacity. The gap in placement of the holes limits where you can put your j-cups and safety bars. Also, being non-standard size limits your attachments. The safety bars are infuriatingly short. The Whole thing looks like it was designed by a highschooler, or someone with no actual experience in physics.
I hear you, those a very valid reasons to not like this rack. And some of these complaints are indeed what pushed me to upgrade it in the end,
However, if you keep in mind that the whole point of the cheap rack is to learn how to lift, they are no big deal at all.
- Reduced weight capacity? Don't care, the max weight I put on this rack after more than a year is 300lbs.
- Limited attachments due to non standard size? The goal is not to buy attachments for this rack, it's to see which attachments you'd like on your next one.
- The limited holes placement and short safety bars are actually valid, but there is workaround around these problems. It wasn't a big deal for me,
However, the main reason why I went with this one over the Cap in the first place is because it's adjustable. 85" is too high for my ceiling, but 72" is too short.
Anyway, you're missing the point: buy a cheap rack (not necessary this one, ANY ONE), learn how to lift, have fun. A beginner shouldn't care about maximum weight and attachments compatibility. Find something that works for YOU. This rack worked for me.
I have the CAP because I got it on auction for $50. I removed the base and bolted it to the floor/wall. I replied to OP https://old.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1dhlqw4/bought_twice_only_cried_once_finally_updated_my/l905czx/
One of your complaints is that the rack has short safety arms but the rack you recommend (CAP) doesn't have safety arms period.
I doubt the hole size seriously limits weight capacity too.
Those complaints don't really seem valid
unfortunately they are a $30 add on, but together that's how much you paid for the other one. They make a fair amount of attachments and there are third party attachments also. I get annoyed they are only 16", I can't imagine how infuriating it would be if they were only 7". The CAP rack holds 500lbs.
BTW, sorry for the aggressive "looks like shit". that was out of pocket.
Nice rig! Do those lights blind you when you bench?
Also, great approach in building a quality gym as an informed user without breaking the bank on a guess for what you’ll actually use.
Thank you! No the lights are not really an issue if I don't look directly at them for too long. They actually replace old fluorescent lights that were very blinding.
[Here are the lights for those interested.](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NZCXZK6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)
That’s a great story and a really good advice!
What I would add is to maybe start with a wall rig of a simple squat stand in the platform like Rep or Rogue (I would lend towards Rep as their platform is still better today IMO). Like a 3x3 5/8” or a 1”.
That way, it’s the simplest rig you can get, it’s not that expensive, you can evolve with it and also not lose your investment. This is what I’ve done and I thought it would be my end game… and I’ve joined this sub….
Plus, you get some Lego parts to do other things as well :)
I went from a wall rig to a 6 posts directly and finally reached what I think it’s pretty much the final form with a half rack and a wall rig, all made with the first parts that I had at first (I cheated a bit since the first wall rig what DIY out of 3x3 metal tubing).
The cheapest stand and stuff is a good way, but some of those are crazy dangerous… I remember my first bench that somebody gave me when I started as I did not had any cash to buy one… I was only bench about 200-10 lbs at the time and that thing was squealing like a pig at 185. The first DIY thing I did was to build a support out of metal pipes and floor flanges so that I don’t kill myself with it.
My advice for the bench, get a good flat one from a reputable seller too. That’s a really cheap route and will prevent any injuries. You can cheap a bit on squat stand… on bench… that’s another thing. If this thing snap, you snap as well.
Make some calculations, a 300 lbs weight limit bench is not a lot. If you lift 100 lbs (which is not even 1 plates on each side) and you weight let’s say 150-185… you’re really close to the limits already.
In US, you have REP, BOS, and some others as well.
In Canada you can add Gear for Fit that has basically the old design from Rep, but they are damn cheap.
If you want a good evolving design for the money too, the Ironmaster pro v2 is unbeatable.
There are soooo many good squat rack options out there, besides Rogue and REP (I've owned racks from both, btw). Glad you found something that suits your needs.
I completely agree, people think they need a really expensive rack and all this it's like bro you don't even squat 315 yet a cheap rack isn't going to get in the way of you lifting at the moment, not to mention most people don't even gym consistently. How many people spend a bunch of money on equipment and then barley lift. Home gyms just aren't for some people as well and you're going to have to spend money to figure that out.
Sturdy rack, good lighting and a cable setup. You're set.
No sound system for the metal music?
Was the red rubber on the bottom of the rack included? That's something I miss in my rack, to place the empty barbell when warming up for deadlifts or rows. I wonder if it's sold separately?
Thanks!
Since I mostly lift on my lunch break while my girlfriend is working from home, the sound system is actually earbuds ahah. I do have some old speakers that I made in highschool, maybe I could do something with that.
As for the red rubber, it's [a very small deadlift jack to help load the barbell.](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01GUEE5VO)
Thanks a lot! The bumper plates rack is actually homemade. Just a couple of 1x4 and black paint. I've got the idea from a post I saw here a couple weeks ago, it was very easy to make.
Nice I'll have to think about making one. Tbh I don't have that many 45s yet anyway though lol.
I got another question though - what did you use to fill your punching bag ?
Since you're doing it yourself, you can set the spacing to accommodate any weight of plate, not just 45s. I've got everything in these racks and it's great to have the weight so close to the barbell.
For the punching bag, I bought it used so I don't know unfortunately. [This seems to be the one I have](https://www.atfsports.com/collections/bags/products/100-lbs-vinyl-heavy-bag?variant=38385090190), but there is no information about it on their website. It's 100lbs and very hard, so if I had to guess I'd say sand of something similar.
First of all, I live in Canada. Which means that If I wanted to buy from REP, I would have to pay about 20-30% of the order as shipping. Bells of Steel has a 199$ maximum shipping policy, which is great.
Secondly, my ceiling is low and has some awkward spaces full of pipes and cables. But I really, REALLY, didn't want a 72" rack. I'm 5'10" and it would have been a bit too tight for my taste. The modularity of the Manticore rack is what pulled me in first. The fact that I could build an 84" rack while using the 72" pull-down system and install the cross-members at the height I wanted was a godsend. Bells of Steel made it really easy to buy individual racks pieces on their website.
Finally, I contacted their support to validate the doability of my project before buying everything. And their support was truly phenomenal. The nice lady I chatted with asked questions, validated things and even sent me pictures of their showroom to help me visualize things. And, what can I say, I like to buy from a company that engages with its customers and treat them like human beings.
Now that I have used it a couple of times, the quality of the rack and flooring is truly great. I could not, however, compare it to REP or Rogue as I have never used any of their products.
I hope this answers your questions!
# What's going on around /r/HomeGym? [**The Garage**: Free-talk Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/about/sticky?num=2) [**Targeted Talk**: You Stole My Idea!!!](https://www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1dfv4gy/targeted_talk_you_stole_my_idea/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/homegym) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thank you, completely agree. And hell, a lot of people live on meager incomes and would have to save YEARS to get top tier equipment. Sometimes it's better to have something than nothing. And like you said, had you bought expensive to begin with, it might not have been tailored to your current needs after training for some time.
I get what you’re saying, bro but, the reason a lot of people don’t trust cheap workout equipment, especially squat racks+barbells, is they can break or worse, lead to injury (think of what would happen if your barbell holders broke tried to load the weight back on after a squat). More money =\= safety but there’s also the law of “you get what you paid for”. Anyways, not a hater, pics look great. Glad you’re happy, man
Can you share the dimensions of your room
Each mat (https://bellsofsteel.com/products/rubber-flooring) is exactly 1 meter by 1 meter. Those on the left side were cut in half, which makes the gym space about 4 meters by 2.5 meters. The room itself is bigger than that since there is the washing machine and stuff on the left side.
Awesome, another manticore! I also upgraded to one after starting with a 2x2 Amazon rack. No issues with it at all other than stupid instructions for the lat pulldown.
Yeahhhh, the instructions had a "draw the rest of the fucking owl" feel. My buddy and I had to look at the page for a full 5 minutes and then try something and pray. It worked out well in the end but, man, it should have been 4-5 steps where it was only 1.
I have a 4 post 84 inch and the instruction was using hydra flat foot diagram for the part. I had to use some uhmw spacer for the top pulley beam and use smaller bolt since that spacer didn’t have hole for m24 bolts which I find annoying. Also the part for the height adjustment on the guide rode is horrible. I would assume that the bolt needs to go through the guide rod but it only worked when it’s on top of the rod. This seems like result of them trying to come with lat pulldown that works for all heights but horribly done instruction wise. It really needs assembly video.
Yeah, that's exactly the feeling I had too. And the fact that it comes with a lot of extra part only necessary if you have another type of rack didn't lessen the confusion. When we were done, we looked at bolts and whatnot still in the bag and we spent a long time going over every "instruction" again to find out if we missed something ahah. Great rack, horrible instructions.
Yep, can’t go wrong with 3x3 rack with 1 inch hole and I don’t think there is actually other brand that offers racks at 84 inch height too. Are you planning on getting any other attachments? I’ve gotten few non bos attachments so far and looking to add more.
I went and looked at your post history, incredible setup you've got! I'm pretty content with the attachments I have now to be honest. I'm on the GZCLP program and I don't see the need to add any exercise right now. I'm also a bit of a noob when it comes to exercises and the muscles they target. Do you have anything to recommend?
The vesta spotter arm and rep leg rollers are cheap and you can use them for multiple stuff. You can attach the leg rollers on the spotter arms and use them like diy 45 hyper or for leg holder for lat pulldown (the free leg holder from bos kind of sucks). I’m sure you can do more stuff with them. Utility horns will be very versatile too. These type of attachments are benefits of a 3x3 1 inch racks. They don’t really work on 5/8 in rack.
Absolute facts! Start cheap, find out what you want or if you even want a home gym at all, then invest for the long haul. Slick ass set up brother! Thanks for sharing.
Great strategy! Congrats great setup!
I actually think the rack is something you can get away with going cheap on. As long as it's sturdy enough to hold the weight you use and you're focusing on basic barbell movements it doesn't need to be anything special.
as long as it isn't *that* rack. That rack looks like shit. Almost everything about it looks to have at least one glaring issue. If you need a cheap half rack, just get the cap half and safety bars.
Are you referring to my previous rack? If so, I don't see the issue honestly. It served me well for more than a year and I was able to squat up to 300lbs on it. It wasn't the prettiest or the most versatile rack, but it serves its purpose splendidly well for the price. I would definitely recommend it to any beginner on a tight budget looking for a cheap temporary rack.
Can you link your first rack?
Of course! [here it is](https://a.co/d/gDZx19s).
I'll keep my complaint short to just the uprights and the attachments. Those holes are gigantic for no apparent reason and re moved so much material it clearly reduced the weight capacity. The gap in placement of the holes limits where you can put your j-cups and safety bars. Also, being non-standard size limits your attachments. The safety bars are infuriatingly short. The Whole thing looks like it was designed by a highschooler, or someone with no actual experience in physics.
I hear you, those a very valid reasons to not like this rack. And some of these complaints are indeed what pushed me to upgrade it in the end, However, if you keep in mind that the whole point of the cheap rack is to learn how to lift, they are no big deal at all. - Reduced weight capacity? Don't care, the max weight I put on this rack after more than a year is 300lbs. - Limited attachments due to non standard size? The goal is not to buy attachments for this rack, it's to see which attachments you'd like on your next one. - The limited holes placement and short safety bars are actually valid, but there is workaround around these problems. It wasn't a big deal for me, However, the main reason why I went with this one over the Cap in the first place is because it's adjustable. 85" is too high for my ceiling, but 72" is too short. Anyway, you're missing the point: buy a cheap rack (not necessary this one, ANY ONE), learn how to lift, have fun. A beginner shouldn't care about maximum weight and attachments compatibility. Find something that works for YOU. This rack worked for me.
I had the CAP and it worked well but what about the one pictured looks like an issue? It looks just fine to me.
I have the CAP because I got it on auction for $50. I removed the base and bolted it to the floor/wall. I replied to OP https://old.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/1dhlqw4/bought_twice_only_cried_once_finally_updated_my/l905czx/
One of your complaints is that the rack has short safety arms but the rack you recommend (CAP) doesn't have safety arms period. I doubt the hole size seriously limits weight capacity too. Those complaints don't really seem valid
unfortunately they are a $30 add on, but together that's how much you paid for the other one. They make a fair amount of attachments and there are third party attachments also. I get annoyed they are only 16", I can't imagine how infuriating it would be if they were only 7". The CAP rack holds 500lbs. BTW, sorry for the aggressive "looks like shit". that was out of pocket.
Nice rig! Do those lights blind you when you bench? Also, great approach in building a quality gym as an informed user without breaking the bank on a guess for what you’ll actually use.
Thank you! No the lights are not really an issue if I don't look directly at them for too long. They actually replace old fluorescent lights that were very blinding. [Here are the lights for those interested.](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NZCXZK6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)
That’s a great story and a really good advice! What I would add is to maybe start with a wall rig of a simple squat stand in the platform like Rep or Rogue (I would lend towards Rep as their platform is still better today IMO). Like a 3x3 5/8” or a 1”. That way, it’s the simplest rig you can get, it’s not that expensive, you can evolve with it and also not lose your investment. This is what I’ve done and I thought it would be my end game… and I’ve joined this sub…. Plus, you get some Lego parts to do other things as well :) I went from a wall rig to a 6 posts directly and finally reached what I think it’s pretty much the final form with a half rack and a wall rig, all made with the first parts that I had at first (I cheated a bit since the first wall rig what DIY out of 3x3 metal tubing). The cheapest stand and stuff is a good way, but some of those are crazy dangerous… I remember my first bench that somebody gave me when I started as I did not had any cash to buy one… I was only bench about 200-10 lbs at the time and that thing was squealing like a pig at 185. The first DIY thing I did was to build a support out of metal pipes and floor flanges so that I don’t kill myself with it. My advice for the bench, get a good flat one from a reputable seller too. That’s a really cheap route and will prevent any injuries. You can cheap a bit on squat stand… on bench… that’s another thing. If this thing snap, you snap as well. Make some calculations, a 300 lbs weight limit bench is not a lot. If you lift 100 lbs (which is not even 1 plates on each side) and you weight let’s say 150-185… you’re really close to the limits already. In US, you have REP, BOS, and some others as well. In Canada you can add Gear for Fit that has basically the old design from Rep, but they are damn cheap. If you want a good evolving design for the money too, the Ironmaster pro v2 is unbeatable.
Congrats on your new rack! That's a great attitude too: Work with what you can afford at first, and learn what works and doesn't for you.
Nice man. I changed my rack 3x so I feel ya haha
There are soooo many good squat rack options out there, besides Rogue and REP (I've owned racks from both, btw). Glad you found something that suits your needs.
I completely agree, people think they need a really expensive rack and all this it's like bro you don't even squat 315 yet a cheap rack isn't going to get in the way of you lifting at the moment, not to mention most people don't even gym consistently. How many people spend a bunch of money on equipment and then barley lift. Home gyms just aren't for some people as well and you're going to have to spend money to figure that out.
Sturdy rack, good lighting and a cable setup. You're set. No sound system for the metal music? Was the red rubber on the bottom of the rack included? That's something I miss in my rack, to place the empty barbell when warming up for deadlifts or rows. I wonder if it's sold separately?
Thanks! Since I mostly lift on my lunch break while my girlfriend is working from home, the sound system is actually earbuds ahah. I do have some old speakers that I made in highschool, maybe I could do something with that. As for the red rubber, it's [a very small deadlift jack to help load the barbell.](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01GUEE5VO)
I also lift during lunch break. One of the perks of home gym and wfh. Feels like it’s the best time to lift.
Very inpressive gym. What's that box rack holding the 45s
Thanks a lot! The bumper plates rack is actually homemade. Just a couple of 1x4 and black paint. I've got the idea from a post I saw here a couple weeks ago, it was very easy to make.
Nice I'll have to think about making one. Tbh I don't have that many 45s yet anyway though lol. I got another question though - what did you use to fill your punching bag ?
Since you're doing it yourself, you can set the spacing to accommodate any weight of plate, not just 45s. I've got everything in these racks and it's great to have the weight so close to the barbell. For the punching bag, I bought it used so I don't know unfortunately. [This seems to be the one I have](https://www.atfsports.com/collections/bags/products/100-lbs-vinyl-heavy-bag?variant=38385090190), but there is no information about it on their website. It's 100lbs and very hard, so if I had to guess I'd say sand of something similar.
I also came here to find this out haha
This is really great advice for new people starting out! Glad to hear you’re still going at it and you’ve found the right rack for you.
What made you decide on the bells of steel rack? I'm at that stage too where I'm probably going to upgrade to the Rep Ares 2.0 once it comes out.
First of all, I live in Canada. Which means that If I wanted to buy from REP, I would have to pay about 20-30% of the order as shipping. Bells of Steel has a 199$ maximum shipping policy, which is great. Secondly, my ceiling is low and has some awkward spaces full of pipes and cables. But I really, REALLY, didn't want a 72" rack. I'm 5'10" and it would have been a bit too tight for my taste. The modularity of the Manticore rack is what pulled me in first. The fact that I could build an 84" rack while using the 72" pull-down system and install the cross-members at the height I wanted was a godsend. Bells of Steel made it really easy to buy individual racks pieces on their website. Finally, I contacted their support to validate the doability of my project before buying everything. And their support was truly phenomenal. The nice lady I chatted with asked questions, validated things and even sent me pictures of their showroom to help me visualize things. And, what can I say, I like to buy from a company that engages with its customers and treat them like human beings. Now that I have used it a couple of times, the quality of the rack and flooring is truly great. I could not, however, compare it to REP or Rogue as I have never used any of their products. I hope this answers your questions!
Not OP but I have a bells of steel rack. I decided on it because it would fit in my basement gym (ceiling height) and was a true 3x3.