Time to plan my weight room upgrades

[IHateMyJob2004]

Well, looks like I am running into equipment limitations faster than i had expected to. I bench 200 pounds.

I have a bench that is getting near its limits as I get stronger. It says I should not put more than 210 pounds on the weight rest. Max total load (user+weights) when benching is 510 pounds. I have some room there but not really because of the 210 pound max.

I have a weight bar that is nearing it's limit of 250 pounds. Been told that the thing can snap with 200 pounds and that's what I bench right now. It's a 1" chrome threaded. Not sure of brand. I'll keep it for curls and stuff.

WHAT I NEED...
BUDGET: $1000

CAGE (w lat pulldown)
I was planning on getting a cage. A good one. I am getting one with a lat pulldown attachment. I even know hte brand I want but I forget the name. Product brochure is at work.

BENCH
I need a new bench. Something adjustable from 0-90 degrees is desired. Something that is adjustable and does decline also would be nice. I would consider a second decline specific bench.

LEG CURLS/EXTENSIONS
I'd love to retain this but have something I can load more than the current 130 pounds onto. Comfort is important with this. My current bench hurts to do leg extensions where the padding touches the leg. A bench with leg extensions/curls would be preferred.

BAR
Can I stick with 1" or do I have to make the move to Olympic weights? Any brands to avoid? I'd like to get a new bar. I can go get the weights used though and save a few bucks.


GOOD LINKS FROM ANOTHER SITE:
The Official Power Rack Thread - August 2010 version
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=126624063
Hole spacing seems to vary, but most good racks have 2 inch spacing (measured from the center of the holes). Elite FTS offers 1.5 inch and even 1 inch spacing on some of their racks through the bench area, which makes it easier to get full ROM when benching.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Essentially, all you need is a power rack, good barbell, and a bench. With the power rack you can squat heavy, do rack pulls, bench safely, do pullups (they frequently come with a bar up top). With the barbell and weights itself, you can really perform any movement you want - cleans, snatches, jerks, turkish get-ups, military press, etc. I think you've learned to focus a bit too much on isolation work - perhaps if you're looking to get functionally stronger, you'd be interested in switching to more compound movements. If that's the case, honestly, those three things are the one things you need. Well, that plus weights.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I avoid lower body a bit since i run every other day. At 35, I need the recovery time in my legs.

I thought bench and military press were more macro?

What about lat pull downs and upright rows?

Curls I understand are micro along with should shrugs. I love shoulder shruggs.

When winter coems near, I might mix things up more. I want to do more lower body but my goal right now is 5K by Thanksgiving while building mass in my upper body. Lower body is somethign I'll try to build mass on sometime after Thanksgiving or as soon as I get the 5K out of the way.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

The brand I was looking at was Yukon. That would have been for hte casge and lat attachement.

Anyone have a similar setup at home? If so, I'd be interested to hear from you.

Currently looking at:

lat attachment:
http://www.yukon-fitness.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=yukon/PROD/CATT/GSL-144
- via e-mail I was told that this had a 500 pound capactiy. And they test these to failure. They typcially fail at 1300 pounds. So it's built liek a brick shithouse.

cage:
http://www.yukon-fitness.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=yukon/PROD/HG/PRK-200
- What does the 800 pound rating mean?

bench
Not really interested in this one but it is in spirit what I want. Want something stronger. This is the last thing I want to fail. For leg curls and extension, I want something with better padding whcih might mean commercial grade.
http://www.yukon-fitness.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=yukon/PROD/FW/FID-141

Rather have this but with a leg extension/curl built in:
http://www.yukon-fitness.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=yukon/PROD/FW/COM-090

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

If possible you should buy everything used. People are selling equipment all the time on craiglist. Obviously you'll need a way to transport it though. Sounds like you're trying to put together a nice home setup. I'm jelly.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

I agree with SC about the essential pieces. Leg curl/extension is not really needed as they are inferior to the squat/deadlift/olympic lifts. You can do pull ups off a cage, which are better than lat pulls anyway. When you say upright rows are you talking about cable rows? You can do barbell rows off the floor. If you do deadlifts and olympic lifts you won't feel the need to do shrugs.

Other equipment has it's place for supplemental work, but it's amazing how little equipment you really need. I would go with a new olympic bar and used weights as you mentioned. If you get a good one it will last you forever.

 

[NAC]

I can't speak to Yukon, but I bought a rack from NY Barbells which I'm happy with. Looks almost identical to the one you linked to:
http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html

Looks like the Yukon has more space for the Lat attachment (which I didn't get), so you might want to stick with it.

I bought a like new Body Solid incline bench from Play it Again sports for $60. Exactly what I was looking for. In retrospect, I rarely use the incline, and the incline features cause the bench will shift a little when I bench press. So I might have been happier with one which doesn't incline. Or perhaps a different brand incline bench.
http://bodysolid.com/Home/item.cfm?id=497

I got all my weights used - can't beat the price. I have an olypmic weight set for barbell work, and lots of standard weights for dumbell work. I would have gotten the rack used too, but didn't want to wait around for a decent one with closely spaced holes to come up on Craigslist.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

The Drizzle,

With pull ups, once you get to a certain level of strength, how can one get stronger without a lat pull down? Would one somehow attach weights to their body?

As for lat pulldowns and leg curls/extensions ... another reason I want them is for my wife. I am a bit dumbfounded but she finally started using weights on occasion.

If i had to choose though, I'd skip the leg curl/extension part. I still think I would want the lat pulldown attachment.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

MooGooGaipan,
Used is a good call. I'm in no rush so I can try and cherry pick out items as they appear. I can wait for a Yukon. Ya, I'm trying to put something together that I will use for years. When I was raised, my parents did not buy me much. But when it came to things for health, money was a non issue. I still carry that tradition. I don't budget things that are for health. Well, I do. But I don't go cheap.

Nac,
Thanks for the posting. You made me think of something that I didn't even think of. Need to be aware of rack spacing. The one you got is 2" so I'll use that as a guide. Not sure what the Yukon is so I am e-mailing them.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Some things that seem to be popping up. In terms of new and used, this is the plan:

NEW:
BENCH - Not messing around here. last thing that i want to have break unexpectedly.

OLYMPIC BAR - I want something that is very good. I see them go for $60 new. But I want something that is very good. I have no problem paying $100 for this.

USED OR NEW:
CAGE - If I can get exactly what I want used, I'll get it used. Not sold on no lat attachment though.

USED:
OLYMPIC PLATES - no reason to go new.

PLEASE:
If someone can recommend a specific bar, it would be appreciated. Or brands to avoid. Etc. Does Cap make a good bar? 6' or 7' bar?

EDIT: Cap seems like crap after 5 minutes of googling. Good words about this $300 York bar though:
http://www.roguefitness.com/burgener-rippetoe-men-s-bar.php

Cripe. This is insane.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Yukon is out. I found this nice chart that tells me that hte hole spacing is 3". It also tells me about 30 other cages with the important data.
http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/support-files/power-rack-comparison.pdf

 

[MotF Bane]

The bad news is that nice power racks (i.e. Westside types) and good barbells (that B&R being one of them) tend to be expensive. I don't use an FID bench, I'm happy with a flat bench, and partially because I couldn't find an FID I liked.

If you want to do Olympic lifts, that's more of a reason to be getting a good barbell, and to consider either huge amounts of side padding or bumper plates.

Cap is crap. Vintage York is good. Newer York has some cheap stuff that's pretty crappy, they're expensive stuff is good though. If Rogue Fitness sells it, it's almost certainly good stuff - RF is where I bought my bar and bench recently, and where I hope to purchase squat stands in a few months. RF is very expensive, but I'll have that bar for as long as I want it.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Ya, I did not even think that $500 bars existed. But then I saw them and I see why. I'm just not in the class of people that need them.

I think I want the lat pull down. As for cages, I want 2" peg spacing at a minimum. 1" would be great in the bench area.

I want incline. Decline would be nice to. trying to join the forum at bodybuilding.com to ask over there but I can not register for some reason. Trying to do it in IE now.

 

[iluvdeal]

I have a Tuff Stuff bench I love, it goes from 90 degrees to decline. The bench also includes a leg hold down attachment which is a must if you are going to do declines, if it didn't have that I would not feel secure doing declines.

I wouldn't bother with a leg curl attachment on the bench. You'll think it's useful but you won't end up using it. Mine came with one and it just collects dust, I don't even bother attaching it. Your wife will not like it either, they aren't comfortable to use. You'll both get a better leg workout doing squats or lunges so save your money.

I have a lat attachment on my gym which has a lower and upper pulley. If you can, I would get one where you could adjust it so the handle could be positioned anywhere in between and not just top and bottom. I don't know if something like that exists as a power cage attachment, I've only seen upper and lower pulleys systems like mine on them. My lat attachment is plate loaded, for the sake of your wife you may want to get one that has a weight stack.

I mainly do cable rows and tricep pulldowns with my lat attachment. If you plan on doing pulldowns with a lot of weight, just do weighted pullups instead. Your cage should have pullup bars on it. The problem with doing pulldowns with a lot of weight on a lat cage attachment is you can't anchor yourself to the floor like you can with lat pulldown machines at the gym as they have pads that go over your thighs which are bolted to the floor, you don't have that support mechanism with a cage attachment.

BTW if you religiously monitor Craigslist you should find some steals on equipment. People are always looking to get rid of exercise stuff since it takes a up a lot of space and goes unused by most people who buy it. I've seen cage+bench+olympic weight sets go for ~$300. I found this one for sale in my area but it's not as hot as previous deals I've seen: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/spo/2548612520.html

 

[the DRIZZLE]

The Drizzle,

With pull ups, once you get to a certain level of strength, how can one get stronger without a lat pull down? Would one somehow attach weights to their body?

As for lat pulldowns and leg curls/extensions ... another reason I want them is for my wife. I am a bit dumbfounded but she finally started using weights on occasion.

If i had to choose though, I'd skip the leg curl/extension part. I still think I would want the lat pulldown attachment.

There is a belt that lets you hang weights from it. You can also use it for dips. I think they call it a dip belt. Search on youtube for weighted pullups to see people using them.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

There is a belt that lets you hang weights from it. You can also use it for dips. I think they call it a dip belt. Search on youtube for weighted pullups to see people using them.

DRIZZLE
Googled for a dip belt. Saw some pics. And went, oh ... that what those are for.

iluvdeal
Ya, I'm pretty much set on not leg extension/curl on the bench.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

iluvdeal,

Tuff Stuff PPF-700 by chance?

http://www.tuffstuffitness.com/prod..._Category_ID=10002&Nav=10002&category=Product Brochures

What's the price on that? (Spattttt cofee out of mouth. $900?)

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Just got some Olympic stuff of craigslist. The bar is crap though. Selling it and getting new one, even if cheap. Atleast I got something like 280 pounds in plates. Got about 180 pound of 1" plate that I am going to keep some of and sell off the rest.

Overpaid a little bit for what I bought but it's one less thing that I need.

 

[brad310]

Power Rack:
http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-r-3-power-rack.php
(r-4 is just wider front to back)

You can find the bench, bar, bumper plates there also.

You can use a thicker band under your knee to do pullups, and omit the lat pulldown.

Im giong to order this setup from there in the very near future.

This setup is all you will ever need. I wish i had known what i know now 15 years ago and i wouldnt have wasted so much time and money on other garbage.

 

[iluvdeal]

iluvdeal,

Tuff Stuff PPF-700 by chance?

http://www.tuffstuffitness.com/prod..._Category_ID=10002&Nav=10002&category=Product Brochures

What's the price on that? (Spattttt cofee out of mouth. $900?)

I have the Tuff Stuff TID 45 bench, it looks like this: http://www.customizedfitness.com/tid-45.jpg

I was able to pick one up used from a chiropractor's office for $40. Again Craigslist rules. It's a really solid heavy duty bench too, like one you'd find at a gym.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I think I'm going to keep an eye on craigslist.

I just paid 50 cents a pound for a punch of plates. Pissed me off though. The guy on craigslist said 500 pounds in Olympic plates. Was more like 280 pounds and another 220 pounds of standard plates. I don't mind the standard. I can finally replace my cement weights.

Now i have to part out my weights. Another headache. Going to sell a set of cement weights and sell some of my 1" steel extra plates.

 

[tedrodai]

DRIZZLE
Googled for a dip belt. Saw some pics. And went, oh ... that what those are for.

Yeah, they're great. Personal preference maybe, but I'd recommend pull ups with one of these belts (as needed) over lat pulldowns.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Yeah, they're great. Personal preference maybe, but I'd recommend pull ups with one of these belts (as needed) over lat pulldowns.

Ya, I'm going to go that way.