Sharing my home gym and need some recommendations and help

[Rise774]

I need some help. I've started my home gym and just completed my first 8 week total body routine that went pretty well. I've attached a picture of the gym and the routine I did if you're interested in the types of exercises I've been doing. I've just started working out again after a 5 year break and I went with a basic total body routine to get back into the swing of things. It was basically a 3 day a week routine and now I'm looking to do a 4-5 day routine but with the same equipment. The problem is most routines I see have cable exercises and other stuff I don't currently have, nor do I really have room for. I'm looking for some advice on what to do with what I have/best additions I can make to my current setup.

Stuff I have:
dumbbells from 5-70# (planning on buying heavier as I progress)
rogue ohio bar with 325# in plates
squat rack (I can also do pullups on this)
35# kettle bell
rings for dips/pullups/muscle ups
weight belt
paralettes
20# wall ball (medicine ball)
rogue box 24x28x36ish
speed rope
weighted rope
flat bench

stuff I'm definitely looking to get:
adjustable bench with incline/decline and leg curls/extension attachment
rowing machine

I love free weights/BB exercises and I'm obviously geared in that direction. Thoughts/Recommendations?

[Domicron]

find a workout routine that utilizes only the equipment you have is the best way to start. then you can add in other accessories based on what you want to do or muscles that you want to improve. you can cover all your bases with a barbell and weight and your dumbbells.

the other thing to do is to start learning about exercises and anatomy. when you can figure out what muscle groups a certain movement targets, you can start looking for alternative exercises to hit your goal.

[vtshep1]

Agree with D, you can hit anything with your dbells, bar, and rack setup. If you want a cable cross you can fit one in that large room. If height is issue, options range from low-end power line to custom built. If footprint is a concern you could do a cable column (lose ability to do crossovers) or functional trainer.

[EricAtl]

Great looking space, pic Embedded:

Maybe go thru the pics of my home gym thread which is a sticky and get some ideas for your space and how to spend a bunch of cash. The rogue dumbbell storage rack was recommended to me, would probably work well for you and get your dumbbells off the floor.

[Insaneurge]

If you wanted an easy space saving way to include some cable work, if you can add a pull up bar to your rack, you could always try to add the Spud Inc. cable pulley and strap it to the pull up bar for cable work.

[Ramcharger310]

You don't need cables. I have a cable crossover that gets more use as a clothes line instead of actual use. My gf mainly uses it. My power rack is the meat and potatoes. I agree with what Insane said and get a Spud Inc setup or just keep your eyes open on CL for a used Hi/Lo Lat pulldown. You can score those between $100-$250 no problem.

[krlafont]

Awesome looking space!! If it were me, I would add the following:

1) Spotter arms for the rack
2) A platform
3) Adjustable bench
4) Dumbbell rack (which would clear plenty of space for a functional trainer and more)

[Rise774]

find a workout routine that utilizes only the equipment you have is the best way to start. then you can add in other accessories based on what you want to do or muscles that you want to improve. you can cover all your bases with a barbell and weight and your dumbbells.

the other thing to do is to start learning about exercises and anatomy. when you can figure out what muscle groups a certain movement targets, you can start looking for alternative exercises to hit your goal.

Is there a "pick a recipe" like resource where you can do that? I'm pretty good with the anatomy side of things, I was just hoping there would be canned things I could do rather than spend the brain energy

Agree with D, you can hit anything with your dbells, bar, and rack setup. If you want a cable cross you can fit one in that large room. If height is issue, options range from low-end power line to custom built. If footprint is a concern you could do a cable column (lose ability to do crossovers) or functional trainer.

Yeah, I was debating getting something from craigslist but I'll hold off for now if I can hit the same muscles with what I have.

Great looking space, pic Embedded:
x
Maybe go thru the pics of my home gym thread which is a sticky and get some ideas for your space and how to spend a bunch of cash. The rogue dumbbell storage rack was recommended to me, would probably work well for you and get your dumbbells off the floor.

I'll take a look, thanks for the recommendation. I don't mind the lack of a dumbbell rack, I'll probably grab one eventually when I see something cheap on craigslist, those seem to pop up regularly. Or, I might try to make one myself... I could probably make one out of angle iron easy enough.

If you wanted an easy space saving way to include some cable work, if you can add a pull up bar to your rack, you could always try to add the Spud Inc. cable pulley and strap it to the pull up bar for cable work.

Interesting, I will check that out. Never heard of it before.

You don't need cables. I have a cable crossover that gets more use as a clothes line instead of actual use. My gf mainly uses it. My power rack is the meat and potatoes. I agree with what Insane said and get a Spud Inc setup or just keep your eyes open on CL for a used Hi/Lo Lat pulldown. You can score those between $100-$250 no problem.

Sounds good, thanks for the input!

[Rise774]

Awesome looking space!! If it were me, I would add the following:

1) Spotter arms for the rack
2) A platform
3) Adjustable bench
4) Dumbbell rack (which would clear plenty of space for a functional trainer and more)

I actually have a ton of plywood and was considering building my own platform. But what is the real benefit of having a platform? Just the flat floor to work off of?

As for the spotter arms... I don't actually BB bench because it wrecks my shoulders. I'll try to max out on DB's before resorting to BB presses. I've only ever gotten up to 100# DBs in bench in the past so it will probably be a while before I need to go that route

[krlafont]

I actually have a ton of plywood and was considering building my own platform. But what is the real benefit of having a platform? Just the flat floor to work off of?

As for the spotter arms... I don't actually BB bench because it wrecks my shoulders. I'll try to max out on DB's before resorting to BB presses. I've only ever gotten up to 100# DBs in bench in the past so it will probably be a while before I need to go that route

I find a few benefits of a platform.
1) Saving your floor from the weights
2) having a nice hard, level floor for traction (I doesn't seem ideal to do cleans, deadlifts, snatches etc on carpet)
3) some people think it protects weights from being damaged (not sure that would matter since you have carpet)

As far as the spotter arms. At some point you will probably want to do BB bench (Flat, incline, Decline) but regardless, I would want them for squats as well. Just seems silly to me having a rack that doesn't provide any safety

[Rise774]

I find a few benefits of a platform.
1) Saving your floor from the weights
2) having a nice hard, level floor for traction (I doesn't seem ideal to do cleans, deadlifts, snatches etc on carpet)
3) some people think it protects weights from being damaged (not sure that would matter since you have carpet)

As far as the spotter arms. At some point you will probably want to do BB bench (Flat, incline, Decline) but regardless, I would want them for squats as well. Just seems silly to me having a rack that doesn't provide any safety

Hmm... the only one that would help with having a platform for me is the traction I suppose. It's thin burbur (sp?) carpet in the basement so it basically feels like walking on concrete (lol). Also, my weights are all bumpers, including the dumb bells. Still, I might make one out of the 4x8" plywood and 4x6" rubber mat I have laying around.

For the safety arms, I can bail pretty easily with the bumper plates so it feels pretty safe to me overall, but I'll give it some more thought before ruling it out.

[daniel327]

For the safety arms, I can bail pretty easily with the bumper plates so it feels pretty safe to me overall,.......

Have you considered that a vasovagal syncope (which is always a possibility when lifting heavy weights) may prevent you from actively determining the outcome of a failed lift?

[THErunCMD]

Have you considered that a vasovagal syncope (which is always a possibility when lifting heavy weights) may prevent you from actively determining the outcome of a failed lift?

Came very close to this myself, with light weight doing paused squats.

[Forcep]

Hmm... the only one that would help with having a platform for me is the traction I suppose. It's thin burbur (sp?) carpet in the basement so it basically feels like walking on concrete (lol). Also, my weights are all bumpers, including the dumb bells. Still, I might make one out of the 4x8" plywood and 4x6" rubber mat I have laying around.

For the safety arms, I can bail pretty easily with the bumper plates so it feels pretty safe to me overall, but I'll give it some more thought before ruling it out.

Yes making a platform would be ideal, even if you have bumpers, for when you're fatigued on deadlifts and just want to drop them instead of TUT.

[AttyGuy]

For the safety arms, I can bail pretty easily with the bumper plates so it feels pretty safe to me overall, but I'll give it some more thought before ruling it out.

You are deluding yourself. And your setup does nothing for you on bench press safety. Nothing. Get a real rack.

[Rise774]

You are deluding yourself. And your setup does nothing for you on bench press safety. Nothing. Get a real rack.

I only bench with Dumb bells as mentioned earlier. If I go to BB bench, I'll get them for sure. I wouldn't say I'm deluding myself when I said a few words later I'll put some more thought into it.

[Rise774]

Have you considered that a vasovagal syncope (which is always a possibility when lifting heavy weights) may prevent you from actively determining the outcome of a failed lift?

No.

[keyboardworkout]

Who's rack is that? Similar to a Rogue S-2 2.0.

As said above, you need safety spotter arms. Hopefully, they are available for that rack and are a minimum of 20" long.

Ceiling looks to be only about 7', so I don't think you are going to be doing olympic lifts or even a standing press.

[Rise774]

Who's rack is that? Similar to a Rogue S-2 2.0.

As said above, you need safety spotter arms. Hopefully, they are available for that rack and are a minimum of 20" long.

Ceiling looks to be only about 7', so I don't think you are going to be doing olympic lifts or even a standing press.

Yeah its the rogue echo (ES-1) which is much beefier than the site makes it out to be. That said, it doesn't appear that they offer spotter arms for them but that doesn't mean I can't rig something up to work in its place.

I can do overhead work in my garage, and I can also remove the ceiling tiles in the area since the ceilings are actually much higher than the drop ceiling and do them there. For now, I usually do overhead work with dumb bells and have removed ceiling tiles where I would hit them normally.

[Domicron]

[QUOTE=Rise774;1389047443]Is there a "pick a recipe" like resource where you can do that? I'm pretty good with the anatomy side of things, I was just hoping there would be canned things I could do rather than spend the brain energy /QUOTE]

if you can't be bothered to do some research and think for yourself, why should i do that for you?

As far as the spotter arms. At some point you will probably want to do BB bench (Flat, incline, Decline) but regardless, I would want them for squats as well. Just seems silly to me having a rack that doesn't provide any safety

so much this

[Squeebo]

The very next thing I'd do is get the whole area covered in plywood and rubber mats. Carpet is too squishy and it gets all nasty from sweat. It changes the whole feel of the place when you get down flooring.

[keyboardworkout]

Yeah its the rogue echo (ES-1).

Ugh, that $70 extra for the S-1 would have been well spent. You don't even get lined j-cups to protect your bar with an ES-1. I just don't get the reason for that rack.

[keyboardworkout]

Black Widow will make you spotter arms. Might be able to request 24".

http://www.blackwidowtg.com/product_...otter-arms.htm

[Rise774]

Ugh, that $70 extra for the S-1 would have been well spent. You don't even get lined j-cups to protect your bar with an ES-1. I just don't get the reason for that rack.

$3 placemats cut & glued work perfectly as bar protectors

Black Widow will make you spotter arms. Might be able to request 24".

--url that I can't quote--

I can make my own, it's a pretty basic design and I can make them rest on the ground & bolt into the uprights easily enough. It's just tube and flat stock welded together.