Bench905 Home Gym Build/Transformation Thread

[Greybird2]

Didn't you have the Hammer Strength seated dip and preacher?

[Bench905]

Didn't you have the Hammer Strength seated dip and preacher?

whoops, I totally forgot about my Hammer Seated Bicep. I never had the Hammer seated dip though - would like to get my hands on one.

[EricAtl]

Thanks. If anyone is curious on an equipment list, here it is:

Legs
Hammer Strength 45° Linear Leg Press
UCS Glute Ham Developer
Cybex Plate Loaded Kneeling Leg Curl
Cybex Plate Loaded Leg Extension
Legend 6008 LeverEDGE Unilateral Trap Shrug/Lunge/Deadlift
Icarian Seated Calf

Back
Hammer Strength ISO Row
Hammer Strength ISO Low Row
Hammer Strength ISO Front Lat Pulldown
Icarian Lat Pulldown

Chest/Shoulders/Arms
Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Chest Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Shoulder Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Advanced Incline
Hammer Strength Seated Bicep
Streamline Pec Dec/Rear Delt

Misc
UCS SPS X-40 Power Rack w/ Plate Storage
Streamline Cable Crossover w/ 200lb stacks
Iron Grip IGX Rubber Dumbbells 5-120lbs
2x Life Fitness 2-Tier Dumbbell Racks
Nebula Skullcrusher Bench
Hoist CF-2165 FID Bench
Rep Fitness FB-5000 Flat Bench w/ Thompson Fat Pad
Rogue Dog Sled 1.2
~3500lbs of Troy GO Interlocking Plates painted Black w/ silver letters/numbers

Bars
Rogue Ohio Power Bar - Black Zinc
Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless
Rogue Curl Bar
Rogue SSB
CFF Keystone Bar
Troy 5' Bar
York 1980s Split Sleeve

Recently sold my Streamline Chest Supported T-Bar Row, my StarTrac Airforce and some odds and ends.
I'm currently probably going to go to a half rack and sell my UCS. Will be curious to see how everything fits once I reload the gym...hopefully I'll be able to add at least another piece.

Great work on the gym so far. The equipment list is incredible from top to bottom. I hope to find one of the skull crusher benches, such a cool piece. Off spread so reps for you.

[Greybird2]

whoops, I totally forgot about my Hammer Seated Bicep. I never had the Hammer seated dip though - would like to get my hands on one.

That seated dip is one of my favorite HS machines. Nice job on the drywall. I did a lot in college. Still do a little once in a while, but never without someone else that is either better at it than me, or at least as good as me.

[gym62richard]

Thanks. If anyone is curious on an equipment list, here it is:

Legs
Hammer Strength 45° Linear Leg Press
UCS Glute Ham Developer
Cybex Plate Loaded Kneeling Leg Curl
Cybex Plate Loaded Leg Extension
Legend 6008 LeverEDGE Unilateral Trap Shrug/Lunge/Deadlift
Icarian Seated Calf

Back
Hammer Strength ISO Row
Hammer Strength ISO Low Row
Hammer Strength ISO Front Lat Pulldown
Icarian Lat Pulldown

Chest/Shoulders/Arms
Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Chest Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Shoulder Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Advanced Incline
Hammer Strength Seated Bicep
Streamline Pec Dec/Rear Delt

Misc
UCS SPS X-40 Power Rack w/ Plate Storage
Streamline Cable Crossover w/ 200lb stacks
Iron Grip IGX Rubber Dumbbells 5-120lbs
2x Life Fitness 2-Tier Dumbbell Racks
Nebula Skullcrusher Bench
Hoist CF-2165 FID Bench
Rep Fitness FB-5000 Flat Bench w/ Thompson Fat Pad
Rogue Dog Sled 1.2
~3500lbs of Troy GO Interlocking Plates painted Black w/ silver letters/numbers

Bars
Rogue Ohio Power Bar - Black Zinc
Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless
Rogue Curl Bar
Rogue SSB
CFF Keystone Bar
Troy 5' Bar
York 1980s Split Sleeve

Recently sold my Streamline Chest Supported T-Bar Row, my StarTrac Airforce and some odds and ends.
I'm currently probably going to go to a half rack and sell my UCS. Will be curious to see how everything fits once I reload the gym...hopefully I'll be able to add at least another piece.

Always loved your equipment choices and I'm a little envious of how much space you have.

I have 600 square feet to work with, you have approaching twice that area, so I can appreciate how much work you've been putting into your gym refurb, it's going to be stunning when you get things finished.

[irongrandpa]

Bench, your work is looking great and will bring a lot of satisfaction for years to come. You taking the drywall part of the job on yourself is very impressive. I've built two houses myself but the drywall was contracted out, so, much respect due your way. I'm enjoying the progress as you're able to do updates.

[urbanlifter]

I'm currently probably going to go to a half rack and sell my UCS.

[alexthaman]

Nice thread and good equipment selection. I really like the cybex kneeling leg curl, if i ever see one pass and have some space definitely on my list. And that legend leveredge 6008 is so awesome with so many possibilities, would love to see one pass someday. At some point i have asked mech if he could build one but since then he retired .

That drywall job was really a big one and from the pics you nailed it! Congrats! And great decision to not mud and tape by yourself, you won’t believe how much of a job this is. The ceiling is the worst part! I did my basement and my garage by myself and it was really the worst part of the job. I did my best but still not as good as a contractor would do! In the garage it made such a mess! You will have to at least cover all of the equipment of do what i did and take everything outside and cover to protect from rain. But you have way more than me in that garage!

Keep us updated

[twodog]

Nice jog sheetrocking. The one thing I would have changed is to hang T-111, or plywood, on one wall. It makes it much easier for hanging stuff on, such as all of your accessories. Reps owed !

[Bench905]

Nice jog sheetrocking. The one thing I would have changed is to hang T-111, or plywood, on one wall. It makes it much easier for hanging stuff on, such as all of your accessories. Reps owed !

I'm planning on mirrors on the walls...I really want to make it look like a commercial gym.

Nice thread and good equipment selection. I really like the cybex kneeling leg curl, if i ever see one pass and have some space definitely on my list. And that legend leveredge 6008 is so awesome with so many possibilities, would love to see one pass someday. At some point i have asked mech if he could build one but since then he retired .

I have two kneeling leg curls at the moment. Really cool machine. I've been looking for one for a while and then when it rains, it pours...found 2 within 10 days. I bought the first with the intent of keeping it, but then the second one matched the plate loaded leg extension - so I bought those two matching pieces.

[Cleveland33]

can't you hide the drywall seems with the mirrors? then you only have the ceiling

[shmobin]

can't you hide the drywall seems with the mirrors? then you only have the ceiling

That would be a crap load of mirrors.

[litljay]

Nice Job Bench!! Great space.

I'll echo those they say hire out the drywall. I started to do my garage about 6 years ago, got 4 or 5 boards hung in a week and finally called in the pros. They knocked it out faster (and probably cheaper) than I ever could.

[Bench905]

can't you hide the drywall seems with the mirrors? then you only have the ceiling

That would be a crap load of mirrors.

Yeah, too many mirrors to hide all seams. I would probably be doing 2 mirrors between each of the windows on the right side and most of the back side of the gym. The left side of the gym is my door, stairs, etc. and that would not be mirrored.

Like picture 2 mirrors between each window in the below pic. It would hide the center 1' section for the most part.

[urbanlifter]

At Lowe's the other day I was REALLY surprised that they had 3'x5' mirrors for only $52. Aside from being able to witness your own glory they do help with making the space look bigger than it really is. But of course it's mostly the flexing in between sets, you know you all do it so why lie....

[Bench905]

At Lowe's the other day I was REALLY surprised that they had 3'x5' mirrors for only $52. Aside from being able to witness your own glory they do help with making the space look bigger than it really is. But of course it's mostly the flexing in between sets, you know you all do it so why lie....

Yep - space looks bigger and brighter as well. Maybe I'll do an angled mirror from the ceiling to check out my back double biceps.

[Bench905]

No additional progress on the drywall - but I picked up an awesome piece. The UCS rack was great, but I kept going back to wanting a half rack with a docking bench. I would move it towards the center and then free up wall space for more machines. There was a Hammer Strength Elite Half Rack w/ bench posted locally, I got web quotes from a few places (Dynamic, Legend, etc.), and then I saw this one.

EliteFTS Signature Half Rack with EliteFTS Signature 0-90° bench with XL spotting platform.
This rack came out of EliteFTS S4 Compound via OSUDimond. I do NOT live that close to Columbus, but took off yesterday and drove about 15-16 hours roundtrip to grab it. Yes, it's borderline insane. My co-workers think I'm crazy and want to stage an intervention (I have an office job and there's only females in my immediate group...so they don't get it).

It's a monster. 9 feet tall, 4x3 7gauge, 1100lbs rack only. Bench is also comically heavy.
UCS rack gets picked up tomorrow morning.

[Asjogren]

No additional progress on the drywall - but I picked up an awesome piece. The UCS rack was great, but I kept going back to wanting a half rack with a docking bench. I would move it towards the center and then free up wall space for more machines. There was a Hammer Strength Elite Half Rack w/ bench posted locally, I got web quotes from a few places (Dynamic, Legend, etc.), and then I saw this one.

EliteFTS Signature Half Rack with EliteFTS Signature 0-90° bench with XL spotting platform.
This rack came out of EliteFTS S4 Compound via OSUDimond. I do NOT live that close to Columbus, but took off yesterday and drove about 15-16 hours roundtrip to grab it. Yes, it's borderline insane. My co-workers think I'm crazy and want to stage an intervention (I have an office job and there's only females in my immediate group...so they don't get it).

It's a monster. 9 feet tall, 4x3 7gauge, 1100lbs rack only. Bench is also comically heavy.
UCS rack gets picked up tomorrow morning.

That is freaking beautiful !

[EricAtl]

No additional progress on the drywall - but I picked up an awesome piece. The UCS rack was great, but I kept going back to wanting a half rack with a docking bench. I would move it towards the center and then free up wall space for more machines. There was a Hammer Strength Elite Half Rack w/ bench posted locally, I got web quotes from a few places (Dynamic, Legend, etc.), and then I saw this one.

EliteFTS Signature Half Rack with EliteFTS Signature 0-90° bench with XL spotting platform.
This rack came out of EliteFTS S4 Compound via OSUDimond. I do NOT live that close to Columbus, but took off yesterday and drove about 15-16 hours roundtrip to grab it. Yes, it's borderline insane. My co-workers think I'm crazy and want to stage an intervention (I have an office job and there's only females in my immediate group...so they don't get it).

It's a monster. 9 feet tall, 4x3 7gauge, 1100lbs rack only. Bench is also comically heavy.
UCS rack gets picked up tomorrow morning.

Wow! Use it well.

[krlafont]

Nice rack Bench!!

One thing that bugs me about my half rack is not being able to use the pull up bar at the same time having a barbell racked. It seems that this rack has eliminated that problem!

The spotter deck on the bench would kill me though. I have the legend pro series bench with spotter deck, and that seems bulky when wheeling around. I would crash that Elite bench into everything!

[Bench905]

The spotter deck on the bench would kill me though. I have the legend pro series bench with spotter deck, and that seems bulky when wheeling around. I would crash that Elite bench into everything!

Thanks! Honestly, I didn't know the bench was this big. I thought this part below was a seam and part was the bench and part was the docking apparatus. But the whole thing is the bench!

I think I might sell another bench. In my dumbbell area, I have a Hoist CF-2165. But I'll need somewhere to put the Elite when squatting. So it would make sense to have the rack facing the dumbbell area and be able to move the bench in and out that way. I don't know. I'm still weeks (months?) away from finishing the gym, so I have some time to think it over.

[twodog]

Thanks! Honestly, I didn't know the bench was this big. I thought this part below was a seam and part was the bench and part was the docking apparatus. But the whole thing is the bench!

I think I might sell another bench. In my dumbbell area, I have a Hoist CF-2165. But I'll need somewhere to put the Elite when squatting. So it would make sense to have the rack facing the dumbbell area and be able to move the bench in and out that way. I don't know. I'm still weeks (months?) away from finishing the gym, so I have some time to think it over.

I have an old York/Wynmor "Husker" rack, and it came with an unwieldy incline bench "spotter" bench. I wanted to keep it, so as to not break up the set, so I moved the bench into db area permanently, and use a different bench in the rack. Good luck, and beautiful stuff, by the way. On spread, reps owed !

[vhd16]

Wow, .. This is heck of pick up. The rack seems to completely functional , pull up bar in the back at lower than 9' , top front band pegs, hooks for bands , weight pegs with long one at chest level for 45's( wonder why only 5 each side, ignoring 35's? ), ability to squat wide/sumo and additional holes on the top.

Man.. I would hate that move it around the GYM. Don't see wheels on the bench. Are they? If no, can they be drilled in the front? There are also handles on the back to lift and move ?

[Bench905]

Wow, .. This is heck of pick up. The rack seems to completely functional , pull up bar in the back at lower than 9' , top front band pegs, hooks for bands , weight pegs with long one at chest level for 45's( wonder why only 5 each side, ignoring 35's? ), ability to squat wide/sumo and additional holes on the top.

Man.. I would hate that move it around the GYM. Don't see wheels on the bench. Are they? If no, can they be drilled in the front? There are also handles on the back to lift and move ?

Yeah, I guess it's ignoring 35s. I just sold my UCS today and that had perfect plate storage with 6 pegs per side and arc'ed perfectly.

There are wheels - there are two relatively close together under the front support. It moves like a wheelbarrow - a very heavy wheelbarrow. If that bench didn't have wheels, it would just kill the value - no one would want it because it's too heavy to move.

[Bench905]

Made a little more progress and did about 3 more sheets including the sheet running the wire for the second heater. Been real busy with work, school, family and DIY housework...so gym is falling behind.



It was my birthday the other day and my wife put my first gym sweatshirt in a shadowbox. It will be mounted on the wall in the garage gym once done. My coach owned World Gym NE Philly and I trained there when I was a teenager. My first real gym...we think the sweatshirt is from about 1996.

Also below is a picture of my birthday cake. My wife says I have a Amazon/UPS problem.

[C123C]

That rack and bench are monstrous pieces. Not my favorite docking system due to the bench size but there's a compromise to everything and you have the space to deal with it. Hell...worst case you do it for a while and swap it if it's really that bad. I'd take a shot for sure. Only reason I don't have a half rack is that I needed a space for the kids to train with me so 6 poster with spotters up front was the solution to conserve space (I'd have gone two racks otherwise).

Great progress. It's really coming along. You are also adding value to that space for the home so worthwhile project for sure.

[Bench905]

Lot going on personally right now, so the gym hasn't moved much. I did start filling larger gaps with Durarock (I think that's a slang term...it's DuraBond 90 by Sheetrock). I'm still going to try to get someone else to finish...but I had 2 hours the other day and just started filling the gaps.



Made two pickups recently as well:

Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Overheard Press. Yes, I already have one. But this one matches my kneeling leg curl and leg extension. So at the moment, I have duplicates of the kneeling leg curl and overhead press.



Duffalo Bar and Rogue Curl Bar

[Cleveland33]

Does Cybex outweigh Hammer yet?

[Bench905]

Does Cybex outweigh Hammer yet?

I think it's even - 5v5.

Hammer Strength 45° Linear Leg Press
Hammer Strength ISO Row
Hammer Strength ISO Low Row
Hammer Strength ISO Front Lat Pulldown
Hammer Strength Seated Bicep

Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Chest Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Converging Overhead Press
Cybex Plate Loaded Advanced Incline
Cybex Plate Loaded Kneeling Leg Curl
Cybex Plate Loaded Leg Extension

[Cleveland33]

you need more banners