adding a gym to my house - need placement advice.

[Syrch]

I going to go out tonight and buy some gym equipment to make a home gym. My question isn't whats the best stuff or whats the best work out but should I put much thought into where I put the equipment. No not the color of the wall sort of thing, please read on.

I Have a two story wood construction home. The two best places to put the equipment are in the upstairs loft or the garage. The problem with putting it in the garage is in live in arizona and it get way too damn hot out. The thing im worried about with the loft is the weight and "pounding" of the equipment. I am looking to buy a treadmill, smaller smith machine and two small benches. Oh and of course the weights, probably about 250lbs worth.

Do you guys see any reason to not put this equipment in the loft? Would it worry you that the structure of the house could take a beating?

 

[sdifox]

no basement?
noise would be my concern with loft. Wouldn't the loft be as hot as the garage?

And why are you not looking at getting used? CL has to have tons of exercise equipment. I think most people who buy them don't use them.

 

[Syrch]

no, no basement in arizona unfortunetly. Im not too terribly worried about the noise honestly and the loft can atleast be air conditioned.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: sdifox
no basement?
noise would be my concern with loft. Wouldn't the loft be as hot as the garage?

lol he said arizona. no basements here. and i think id put it all in the garage anyway, the noise would be huge downstairs while you were workin it. if the garage gets too hot, pop a 200 dollar swamp cooler in there. should give enough air flow to work out well.

 

[GenHoth]

Don't put a hole in your floor, I'd suggest the garage or basement if you have one.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

Originally posted by: sdifox
no basement?
noise would be my concern with loft. Wouldn't the loft be as hot as the garage?

lol he said arizona. no basements here. and i think id put it all in the garage anyway, the noise would be huge downstairs while you were workin it. if the garage gets too hot, pop a 200 dollar swamp cooler in there. should give enough air flow to work out well.

Houses in Arizona don't have basement?

I would have thought it is the ideal place to beat the heat.

 

[Syrch]

gah it got moved, its not health and fitness, its structure of a house ;/

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

Originally posted by: sdifox
no basement?
noise would be my concern with loft. Wouldn't the loft be as hot as the garage?

lol he said arizona. no basements here. and i think id put it all in the garage anyway, the noise would be huge downstairs while you were workin it. if the garage gets too hot, pop a 200 dollar swamp cooler in there. should give enough air flow to work out well.

what are good brands for swamp coolers out here?

 

[brikis98]

It depends on how your loft is built, but as a general rule, I'd recommend against it. Treadmills and weight equipment make lots of noise, cause lots of shaking through out the entire house (hope you don't have anything fragile on your shelves), and depending on what you're doing, could easily damage the floor. Gyms should be on solid floors, preferably something like wood on top of concrete and some rubber matting on top of that. Lofts are typically not built for that, and while you probably won't do any serious harm, it'll be less than ideal. A garage is much better suited for this sort of thing, provided the ceilings are high enough. I'd still recommend laying some rubber matting down on the floor. As for the heat, you can try to get by with the door open, fans blowing and working out at night. Or you can get a standalone/portable air conditioner (google them, there are plenty of options). Depending on the size of your garage, its insulation (if any), the windows and the door, it might not be as hard to cool down as you think.

Finally, since this thread did end up in the H&F forum, I feel it is my duty to ask:

1. Why don't you just get a gym membership?
2. Why buy a smith machine?

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: brikis98
It depends on how your loft is built, but as a general rule, I'd recommend against it. Treadmills and weight equipment make lots of noise, cause lots of shaking through out the entire house (hope you don't have anything fragile on your shelves), and depending on what you're doing, could easily damage the floor. Gyms should be on solid floors, preferably something like wood on top of concrete and some rubber matting on top of that. Lofts are typically not built for that, and while you probably won't do any serious harm, it'll be less than ideal. A garage is much better suited for this sort of thing, provided the ceilings are high enough. I'd still recommend laying some rubber matting down on the floor. As for the heat, you can try to get by with the door open, fans blowing and working out at night. Or you can get a standalone/portable air conditioner (google them, there are plenty of options). Depending on the size of your garage, its insulation (if any), the windows and the door, it might not be as hard to cool down as you think.

Finally, since this thread did end up in the H&F forum, I feel it is my duty to ask:

1. Why don't you just get a gym membership?
2. Why buy a smith machine?

great response thanks

Yeah if it is going to be in the garage i'll end up getting a space ac unit for sure. And i think this is what im leaning towards just hate to think of the 120 degree days lol.

I looked at the gym that is the least convenient for me to get to after work and its nothing special and they want a hefty start up cost since it really is the only gym around. The next closest is at least another 10 mins away without traffic (the original one being 10 mins to start with) and it is nicer but i can easily see myself stopping at home and blowing the gym off. I like the "luxury" and convenience of having a home gym and I have the space. The garage is three car garage and all i have in it is a freezer really.

For the smith machine i've done a bit of research on this. I know that they aren't as good resistance training as free weights which is why im also get a sit up bench and a utility bench to do free weights on. On the other than the smith machine i am looking at uses free weights and not pulleys or 'bows'. I will be using the smith machine for exercises i can't do with free weight and safety of being able to do certain exercises on my own, like heavier bench presses.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Syrch
I looked at the gym that is the least convenient for me to get to after work and its nothing special and they want a hefty start up cost since it really is the only gym around. The next closest is at least another 10 mins away without traffic (the original one being 10 mins to start with) and it is nicer but i can easily see myself stopping at home and blowing the gym off.

With a mentality like that, you'll fail to go to the gym even if you trip over it while walking around in your house

Sseriously, if you're interested in improving your health, you can't think of the gym as something optional. Few people magically just have time for the gym. You have to make time for the gym, just like you do to go to a doctor's appointment or watch your favorite TV show. Now, obviously, if the gym is too far away to be practical, that's a different issue, but a 10-20 minute drive doesn't sound that bad. I find being at a gym motivating, especially if you're there with friends, as you're there with a specific goal in mind and there's nothing to do but bust your ass to accomplish it. On the other hand, once you're home, you're likely to eat, plop down in front of the tv and forget all about working out. Just about every home has several pieces of unused gym equipment these days...

Moreover, in terms of cost, owning your own gym, especially if you buy new equipment and any sorts of machines, isn't that much cheaper. It definitely depends on where you live, but around here, gym memberships are $30 - $50 per month. That adds up to $360 - $600 per year. Any treadmill you buy will probably cost more than that, and if it doesn't, it'll probably break in less than a year. Add to that the smith machine you wanted, the weights, benches, and anything else you might desire in the future, and it'll be years before your home gym pays for itself. Moreover, any equipment you buy will occasionally break down and require maintenance, which further adds to the cost. And even after spending all that money up front, you probably still won't have nearly the selection of equipment as a decent gym, let alone access to classes, instructors, etc.

Having said all that, if you really can't find a gym that you can get to, or you can't find one with the equipment you want, a home gym is a good alternative. If you've got the money and the space, you can put something pretty nice together.

Originally posted by: Syrch
For the smith machine i've done a bit of research on this. I know that they aren't as good resistance training as free weights which is why im also get a sit up bench and a utility bench to do free weights on. On the other than the smith machine i am looking at uses free weights and not pulleys or 'bows'. I will be using the smith machine for exercises i can't do with free weight and safety of being able to do certain exercises on my own, like heavier bench presses.

I hate to be blunt, but unless you have some kind of injury you are rehabing from, there is almost NEVER a reason to use machines. It doesn't matter if it's a smith machine, plate loaded rack, bowflex, or anything else. In almost every sense, machines are an inferior to free weight training - you'd be far better off using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, gymnastics, plyometrics, etc than investing money in a machine. This has been discussed many times on this forum (and just about everywhere else) and here's a reply I wrote earlier (hope you don't mind some quick copy/paste):

The first chapter of Starting Strength has a great explanation of why you should use free weights instead of machines. If you don't have that available, I recommend you spend some time reading the stronglifts mission statement and philosophy, the Weight Lifting FAQ (especially questions 2 and 3), why you should always squat with free weights, and Strength Training with Free Weights.

If you do get a gym, I highly recommend get a power rack (preferably with a pull-up bar at the top), barbell, plates and a bench. It'll probably be cheaper than a smith machine, you can do virtually every exercise using this equipment, and the results you'll get will be vastly superior to any machine.

 

[Redfraggle]

Garage for sure, but also consider replacing your garage door with something insulated to keep the cool air in.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: Syrch
I looked at the gym that is the least convenient for me to get to after work and its nothing special and they want a hefty start up cost since it really is the only gym around. The next closest is at least another 10 mins away without traffic (the original one being 10 mins to start with) and it is nicer but i can easily see myself stopping at home and blowing the gym off.

With a mentality like that, you'll fail to go to the gym even if you trip over it while walking around in your house

Sseriously, if you're interested in improving your health, you can't think of the gym as something optional. Few people magically just have time for the gym. You have to make time for the gym, just like you do to go to a doctor's appointment or watch your favorite TV show. Now, obviously, if the gym is too far away to be practical, that's a different issue, but a 10-20 minute drive doesn't sound that bad. I find being at a gym motivating, especially if you're there with friends, as you're there with a specific goal in mind and there's nothing to do but bust your ass to accomplish it. On the other hand, once you're home, you're likely to eat, plop down in front of the tv and forget all about working out. Just about every home has several pieces of unused gym equipment these days...

Moreover, in terms of cost, owning your own gym, especially if you buy new equipment and any sorts of machines, isn't that much cheaper. It definitely depends on where you live, but around here, gym memberships are $30 - $50 per month. That adds up to $360 - $600 per year. Any treadmill you buy will probably cost more than that, and if it doesn't, it'll probably break in less than a year. Add to that the smith machine you wanted, the weights, benches, and anything else you might desire in the future, and it'll be years before your home gym pays for itself. Moreover, any equipment you buy will occasionally break down and require maintenance, which further adds to the cost. And even after spending all that money up front, you probably still won't have nearly the selection of equipment as a decent gym, let alone access to classes, instructors, etc.

Having said all that, if you really can't find a gym that you can get to, or you can't find one with the equipment you want, a home gym is a good alternative. If you've got the money and the space, you can put something pretty nice together.

Originally posted by: Syrch
For the smith machine i've done a bit of research on this. I know that they aren't as good resistance training as free weights which is why im also get a sit up bench and a utility bench to do free weights on. On the other than the smith machine i am looking at uses free weights and not pulleys or 'bows'. I will be using the smith machine for exercises i can't do with free weight and safety of being able to do certain exercises on my own, like heavier bench presses.

I hate to be blunt, but unless you have some kind of injury you are rehabing from, there is almost NEVER a reason to use machines. It doesn't matter if it's a smith machine, plate loaded rack, bowflex, or anything else. In almost every sense, machines are an inferior to free weight training - you'd be far better off using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, gymnastics, plyometrics, etc than investing money in a machine. This has been discussed many times on this forum (and just about everywhere else) and here's a reply I wrote earlier (hope you don't mind some quick copy/paste):

The first chapter of Starting Strength has a great explanation of why you should use free weights instead of machines. If you don't have that available, I recommend you spend some time reading the stronglifts mission statement and philosophy, the Weight Lifting FAQ (especially questions 2 and 3), why you should always squat with free weights, and Strength Training with Free Weights.

If you do get a gym, I highly recommend get a power rack (preferably with a pull-up bar at the top), barbell, plates and a bench. It'll probably be cheaper than a smith machine, you can do virtually every exercise using this equipment, and the results you'll get will be vastly superior to any machine.

YOur right the wording of my response didn't show the most motivation. But please let me elaborate a bit. I have had a personal trainer in the passed and drop a ton of weight. I moved to AZ got lazy and then finally started going to the gym at the apartment complex. I never went thinking it wasn't enough but i learned i was wrong. There was a gym right across the street from the complex i lived at and went there every day for about 2 months but the filth just got overwhelming. Caked on sweat on all the machines, locker room never seems to get touched, it was just disgusting.

Now that I am not in the shape i want to be and am dedicated to the change I've looked at all options. The two closest gyms are both house hold name gyms, say 24hr fitness and golds gym. That is NOT what i want. I don't go to the gym to talk to anyone or bullshit. I go in and from the second i walk in to the second i walk out im all business. I get my workout done and leave. Now im not going to use this as an excuse but I now have two kids to look out for and they are my #1 priority. When I get home I sit on the couch for about an hour, or at the pc, and do nothing productive and find that this is my key time to work out. After the work out i'd shower and start dinner. After dinner the fiancee would work out. This is where the gym membership adds up, 2 adults plus their day care. Its around $150 a month.

I am looking at the Sole TT8 treadmill and the this smith machine. It has the weight bench and squat machine which are my two biggest concerns and for size and cost i can't beat it. I am getting the utility bench to do my free weight butterflys, work my back, my triceps as well as quads pecs and shoulders. My trainer taught me a huge range of excercises that hit my muscle groups.

And hopefully I can get the kids into fitness too. They love to do what the fiancee and I do.


Edit: After looking at the machine closer i see the squats and bench press are both assisted which is not what i want. I want a bench with a squat rack so i'll look when i go tonight.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: Redfraggle
Garage for sure, but also consider replacing your garage door with something insulated to keep the cool air in.

i was thinking that, isn't there insulation you can put in the door though?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Syrch
YOur right the wording of my response didn't show the most motivation. But please let me elaborate a bit. I have had a personal trainer in the passed and drop a ton of weight. I moved to AZ got lazy and then finally started going to the gym at the apartment complex. I never went thinking it wasn't enough but i learned i was wrong. There was a gym right across the street from the complex i lived at and went there every day for about 2 months but the filth just got overwhelming. Caked on sweat on all the machines, locker room never seems to get touched, it was just disgusting.

Now that I am not in the shape i want to be and am dedicated to the change I've looked at all options. The two closest gyms are both house hold name gyms, say 24hr fitness and golds gym. That is NOT what i want. I don't go to the gym to talk to anyone or bullshit. I go in and from the second i walk in to the second i walk out im all business. I get my workout done and leave. Now im not going to use this as an excuse but I now have two kids to look out for and they are my #1 priority. When I get home I sit on the couch for about an hour, or at the pc, and do nothing productive and find that this is my key time to work out. After the work out i'd shower and start dinner. After dinner the fiancee would work out. This is where the gym membership adds up, 2 adults plus their day care. Its around $150 a month.

Hey, you don't have to justify yourself to me. I was just pointing out that for many people, a gym membership is a far better investment and I wanted to make sure you had considered it. Obviously, if think your own family situation requires a home gym, then obviously that's the way to go.

Originally posted by: Syrch
I am looking at the Sole TT8 treadmill and the this smith machine. It has the weight bench and squat machine which are my two biggest concerns and for size and cost i can't beat it. I am getting the utility bench to do my free weight butterflys, work my back, my triceps as well as quads pecs and shoulders. My trainer taught me a huge range of excercises that hit my muscle groups.

And hopefully I can get the kids into fitness too. They love to do what the fiancee and I do.

In terms of price, a power rack, bench, and a 300lbs weight set can be had for a total about $900 total brand new. If you wait for a sale or buy locally (to avoid shipping for such heavy equipment), you can get it quite a bit cheaper. If you poke around craigslist, you could probably get all this stuff used, but in good condition, for about a third of this price. Hopefully, you at least took a glance at the links I posted about why to use free weights and realize that this kind of equipment will produce SIGNIFICANTLY better results than the smith rack. You'll be stronger, your strength will be more functional, and you'll avoid injuries. Seriously, I can't emphasize enough how the smith machine squat is NOTHING like the free weight squat. The same goes for just about any exercise. And if you are going to get your kids involved, you owe it to them to educate yourself more about weight training. Starting Strength is a good start. Smith machines and (many) gym trainers are not.

 

[Syrch]

yeah i editted my post, i didn't realize smith meant assisted, im against that as much as you and already looking for a better bench lol.

 

[Syrch]

Brikis what are you thoughts on this, http://www.sportsauthority.com...quat&parentPage=search

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Syrch
yeah i editted my post, i didn't realize smith meant assisted, im against that as much as you and already looking for a better bench lol.

Smith machines keep the bar attached to a (roughly) vertical track. It reduces the weight of the bar, it allows you to lean back or forward against the bar, and it forces you to keep the bar path in a straight line. As a result, most exercises (e.g. squat, bench press, etc) done on the smith machine are anatomically incorrect and potentially dangerous. Moreover, since you don't have to balance the weight in a smith machine like you do when using free weights, you don't develop the neuromuscular coordination that is such an essential part of strength. Not only will you develop strength more slowly on a smith machine, the strength you do build will not be as "functional" - that is, it won't transfer to real life applications nearly as well as the analogous free weight version.

 

[Deeko]

hahahah I'm sorry. I saw this thread when it was OT and didn't read it until now - when I saw it got moved to H&F my first thought was "a thread about where to put a home gym...now in H&F...I guarantee someone will have already plugged Starting Strength!!"

I thought this as a joke. And lo and behold....its there!

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Syrch
Brikis what are you thoughts on this, http://www.sportsauthority.com...quat&parentPage=search

If you're on a tight budget, a squat rack is ok, but otherwise, you would definitely benefit from the versatility of a power rack (such as this one). The power rack lets you set up safety bars so that if you can't complete a rep of some exercise (such as a squat), you can just set the bar down on the safety bars and escape unharmed. If you used a squat rack and got stuck in the bottom of a squat, you'd have to awkwardly find a way to drop the weight off your back, which could injure you and damage the floor (especially if you're working out in a loft). Some power racks also offer other bonuses, such as plate storage, a pull-up bar, dip attachments, and more.

As for the other equipment in the set, it's of questionable need. You can buy a good bench separately, and there is no need for a "leg developer". All the leg exercises you'll ever need can be done with a barbell, such as squats, deadlifts, step-ups, cleans, snatches and so on. A preacher curl attachment is also not terribly useful. There are plenty of other bicep exercises you can do without them, and if you really insist on preacher curls, you can just do them one arm at a time on the back of an adjustable bench set to incline.

 

[Syrch]

if i went with a power rack i'd go with something like this, http://www.calgym.co.uk/webima...t%20Rack)%20CALRPR.jpg i hate the cage feel of the other. But for now i'll be doing low weight squats so the power rack can be on hold, i just need something to hold the weight.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Syrch
if i went with a power rack i'd go with something like this, http://www.calgym.co.uk/webima...t%20Rack)%20CALRPR.jpg i hate the cage feel of the other.

It's up to you, of course, but my gym has these types of half racks that you linked, and I've found 4 problems with them:

1. If you're a tall guy, some of these half racks can be a bit short. I have a friend who is 6'5" and he has to do a half squat to rack/unrack the bar, which is quite uncomfortable with heavy weight, especially at the end of a tiring set.
2. No pull-up bar at the top.
3. No protection if you fall backwards while squatting, which I've actually seen happen. In a power rack, if you start tilting back, the barbell hits the vertical beams and slides down to the safety bars. On a half rack, you just fall backwards and the barbell can end up anywhere.
4. They actually take up more space back-to-front than power racks.

In short, I see no advantages to a half rack but a few relatively minor disadvantages. I've never heard of someone being bothered by the "cage" feel of a power rack (aka power cage) and the smith machine you were looking at earlier was similarly cage-y, but it's your choice

Originally posted by: Syrch
But for now i'll be doing low weight squats so the power rack can be on hold, i just need something to hold the weight.

I wouldn't do any back squats, light or heavy, without a power rack. I also don't see the point of buying one piece of equipment now, only to replace it later when you get a bit stronger. Just buy a good power rack now: it's one of the best investments you can make for a home gym.

 

[StageLeft]

You can AC the garage with a powerful window unit. Will pull the heat down fairly quickly.

I had a gym in an alabama garage for a few years. I had no AC. I worked out in the mornings However, it was nice when the weather was good to open the garage and do a few sets or if the kids/wife are outside doing something you can do a little bit with the door open, so it's nice.

Don't bother with a gym 20 minutes away, you will just not use it.

A home gym, really any gym, will require real dedication of course. I spent $1000 or so on my equipment but had been working out for years and knew it would get use.

I bought my stuff from play it again sports (though it was new). Got a squat cage, adjustable bench, olympic bar and weights, rubber mats, and a ton of dumbells (not adjustable, but the real thing) to go on a really nice rack. It's extremely functional and it has always been nice not having to jerry rig something because I cheaped on what I got. All my stuff was bodysolid. Prices were fine and the quality was nice. I actually went with one of their low end cages because it had way more height options than their notch up and still can easily handle all the weight a mortal would need. The pullup bar at the top by far receives the most use these days.

Don't bother insulating the garage door, it will be hopeless in that heat, you need to overpower the heat with a very powerful window unit.

I agree, don't go cheap. Do it right and the stuff will literally last your entire life.

 

[Syrch]

Do you guys think that http://www.homedepot.com/webap...1717&categoryID=503405 would be enough to cool the garage?

 

[alkemyst]

It's really going to depend on your goals...250lbs of weight is fine in a loft.

If you are serious I'd go with a power cage rather than smith machine...same end result really if you do the setup right and you will get a better exercise done.

To do a full home gym is not cheap, if you are just looking to dabble get an all-in-one at a price point you can afford and you will still get good gains.

Used is a great way to get equipment...esp. when people are getting foreclosed and can't cart 2000 lbs of free weights to an apartment.