Im 4"11 150 pounds. Wanted to build a gym for my strength training/powerlifting. After hours of research, I was gonna go with a 3x3 power rack, but realized very quickly it was kinda overkill for me. I know I won't pass 400 pounds haha, so decided to do a more a friendly budget gym where I can still train! Here's my 14x6 half garage gym.

I have a 6 post rack, so I really use the rear posts to store a bunch of things. I have found this to be reasonably accessible and a really efficient use of space. You do have to negotiate the rack a bit when taking the barbells in and out but it’s pretty easy and after a few times it almost becomes second nature. The only time that becomes a bit annoying, in my experience, is when the bench is sitting inside the rack. That’s easy to move, though. My gym is about 150 sq/ft.

Took me 48 hrs to sell my Rogue 3.0 Adjustable bench to make way for the 4.0. Really, the only reason I chose to replace my existing bench was the foot catch for decline work. There are though, a few nice upgrades. Firstly, I chose a matte black, textured finish. Not sure why I shied away from this finish in the past…its amazing! The color and texture ties into my other equipment very nicely. I opted for the stainless accents which, in my opinion, takes the bench from great to epic. The knurled knobs on the ladder adjustment, moving handle and pull-pin for the foot catch are very nice and just add to the quality of this bench. I was most curious to try out the wider seat and back pad. The new 4.0 pad is 12” vs the 3.0 at 11” and for me, it makes a noticeable difference in support when pressing. A cool, small upgrade, is the latch catch on the seat and back pad ladder. The 4.0 version is constructed of UNHW rather than steel on the 3.0. This takes some of that “ clangy” sound away when adjusting. Lastly, the foot catch. The primary reason for my upgrade and it doesn’t disappoint! Very simple to attach with foot rollers being very comfortable. The seat rest has an additional catch that renders it completely flat in the decline position. I can easily set this up under my new REP PR-5000 Smith attachment for decline pressing as well as utilize the decline for various abdominal work.
 
Is the 4.0 worth the upgrade? For me it made logical sense. I sold my 3.0 for $400.00 after several years of use so the upgrade price was justified. In my opinion, the 4.0 represents one of if not the, best benches on the market. Very thoughtfully laid out and the built quality is second to none. I can’t confirm…but I’m thinking we may see some bench attachments down the road.

Got this rack off FB marketplace about a month ago. Picked up a few additional items from Oak Club (Alpha 2 spotter arms , Wessey Calf Raise, C-Beam, Klo Step, and Cambells) all color coordinated (Red, White, and Black). I also put the Fringe Sport BOB Smith attachment on the front (which I like), and color matching darko barbell anchors. The rogue multi use roller works perfectly with the spotter arms to do things like hip thrusts, bulgarians, lat pulldown, and more. Currently I have it set up in the hip thrust config. Thinking about buying the Oak Club Band pegs to use as an "extra safe" link for the smith.

I also always thought Omni-Man/Thragg/Viltrumites are super cool, so might get a Thragg/Battle Beast battle poster to go with this rack.

Had a 12x16 shed that used to be a horse barn, I ran electric out to it and spray foamed/drywalled it. Hooked up a 9k BTU mini split for heat/AC.

Equipment is the Vander M14 plus, still need to purchase a treadmill and a leg extension/curl machine. Also got the NuoBells 100lb adjustable dumbbells.

Still a little more finishing touches to do but the shed was literally just studs on Monday and this is my progress as of this Friday 😎

Just ordered a functional trainer and some mirrors. Also have a rower not pictured

Had some bits and bobs from over the years, finally got a bar bell and weight for it. I need to build weight storage but for now this is what I'm working with!

Received the short and long Fringe Sport Crown pulldown/landmine attachments and wanted to give some quick initial impressions. So far I’ve only used the short version, but most of my feedback applies to both.

Finish: Typical Fringe, not the best. Powder coat doesn’t look great; there are some chips and unpainted spots, and the welds aren’t the cleanest. It’s functional, but not pretty. They come fully assembled and include some grease/oil for the ball bearings. I needed to immediately add some, as the balls we’re completely dry and not rotating smoothly when loaded.

Use: I used the short version during my upper workout today, for lat pulldowns and lat-focused T-bar rows. In use it feels great on both movements, but my cable tower isn’t tall enough to allow for a full stretch on pulldowns while sitting on my bench. For use on the landmine, it feels amazing. I feel much more connected with my back than using my mutant metals landmine attachment with Rogue D handles clipped in. I imagine the long version will feel equally good.

Final thoughts: A good release for what I was looking for. I’ve been waiting for Force 6 to rerelease their landmine attachment, but when I saw these announced and the cost, I figured I might as well go with these. I don’t think I’d use more than two width settings on the force attachment, and the ability to use these for cable movements as well is an added bonus. Overall, I’m happy with the purchase.

I’ve had the Mikolo Anubis 2.0 Elite for a few months now and wanted to share how it’s held up. My gym is in my dining room, so footprint was the main thing I shopped on. It’s about 51 inches wide and 33 inches deep, which let me fit a rack, a cable system, and a bench in a room that still has to work as a dining room.

For training, it’s been better than I expected for a compact rack. Bench and squats feel stable even without bolting it down. I’m 6'2" and haven’t had any height or range of motion issues. The cable trolleys move smoothly and lock in well, and I’ve done flys, face pulls, curls, and pull-throughs without feeling limited by the narrower frame. The leg holder rotates into place for rows, and I use it more than I thought I would.

One thing to know going in: the cable system is 2:1, so the stack isn’t a straight 1:1 pull. I knew that when I bought it and it was a fair trade for the price and size, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re comparing racks.

I’ve included photos so you can see how it sits in the room. Feel free to ask any questions!

If you want the full breakdown, the link to my YouTube channel is in my profile.

Got this functional trainer from Anhui Tap through Alibaba. ~$2600 delivered, including around $70 of "payment processing fees" from Alibaba, and $120ish for a Bureau Veritas inspection. Stainless uprights, two 100kg stacks, ARES 2.0 style.

Ordered June 24th, delivered September 30th.

REVIEW:

Seems solid and smooth. No complaints. Not Rogue quality, obviously, but looks plenty nice enough. The weights are compelled toward the center of the Earth, as expected. Love the tiny footprint.

EXPERIENCE:

I'm happy. After ordering I saw some people complaining about Anhui Tap, but my experience with them was good. There were some things that made me nervous along the way, but it all worked out fine. The rep wasn't very detailed when she added my customization requests to the quotation, but they delivered exactly what I asked for. The rep didn't warn me she was going to put an Alaska (I'm in California) shipping address on the order, but when I asked she assured me it was just a formality. Then I got a delivery confirmation notice from Alibaba saying my 2kg functional trainer had been delivered in Kentucky. Again, when I asked the rep said that was a formality too.

I'd seen warnings that factories were contacting buyers asking them to cover increased shipping costs, but that didn't happen to me.

I'd seen warnings that buyers would be asked to pay extra for lift gate delivery if they didn't have a forklift on hand, but that didn't happen to me either.

I didn't really end up needing the 3rd party inspection, but it was nice to know there weren't going to be any surprises when I opened the crate.

ISSUES:

Crate they shipped it in was a little flimsy. The bottom was sagging open and one side had a hole punched in it. The parts all arrived OK, but now I need to dispose of the crate instead of easily finding a taker for it on FB marketplace.

REGRETS:

I paid the deposit with my paypal balance. Should've used a credit card for layered coverage. When I paid the remainder, paypal didn't ask what payment source I wanted to use it remembered the one I used with the merchant before and automatically used the same one.

I wish I'd inquired about stainless nuts & bolts. Shipping is a killer, but upgrades that don't increase weight seem to be a great deal.

I should've spec'd a taller height. They'll pretty much built it however you want it.

I should've created a logo and had them cut it into the logo plate. I'm guessing that would've been free, I just didn't think of it.

It came with some nice J-Hooks, front "legs", and some beefy optional spotter arms but I'm not going to end up using any of these.

Added a rubber mat to my DIY Rhino platform. Works amazing even though setup takes some time but that's why I set my workouts based off muscle groups and doesn't interfere with my routine. less

I picked up this stand on Amazon for $60 and added a set of M8x1.25 threaded locking casters 450lb for $20. The stand is solid. The lower rails when spaced correctly keep the plates in place. No wobble. I did use red loctite on the stand bolts, blue on the lower rails.

It's not much, but it's mine!

First for me having a garage gym. Getting back into some weightlifting. 💪🏻

Recently got a Promaxima leg press that I traded. Super heavy and works great. A little older, but functions as it should

Ever since I saw the first smart gyms released, I've wanted one because of the ability to change force curves and resistance modes, but I didn't want to pay the steep price.

About a year ago I thought it would be cool to make one myself. Just connect a motor to a gym cable. I knew basically nothing about motors and didn't think it would be that hard.

One expensive failed prototype later, I learned otherwise.

This is the current design.

It's designed to mount to a rack, but the mounting system is modular so it can also be adapted for a pole, floor mount, tree, or other setup.

Instead of a strap winding over itself, I'm using Dyneema cable with a geared lead screw that guides it across the drum in a single layer.

I'm also trying to keep the electronics modular so there isn't one required motor/controller/battery stack.

I'm currently ordering parts and building the full physical prototype. Once I've verified the design, I plan to release the CAD/CNC files, software, BOM, and build documentation as open source.

The design definitely isn't perfect yet, but I'm hoping other people eventually build it and improve on it.

I'll post the physical build and testing here as I make progress.

... not pictured my very disorganized rack attachments haphazardly piled in the closet...

Updated a couple of things. So here is my homegym latest form.

Live in a 1B1B so floor space is kind of precious. The gym is pretty far from where I live, so I wanted something I could actually keep at home without turning the living room into a warehouse.

I ended up getting an Innodigym omni x1 pro. After work, I can open it up, get through presses, rows, squats, etc., and then fold it back against the wall when I’m done.

Honestly, the fact that it doesn’t take over the room when I’m not using it is probably what I like most.

Landmark Everest all in one. Remington bench. Lionscool seated leg machine. Core adjustable dumbbell’s.

Picked up a very rusty ivanko plate which needed some tlc
Came out nice imo

https://reddit.com/link/1x61d24/video/o7auc14umhvh1/player

Hi guys,

Just wanted to share my garage conversion. Plan on adding some equipment but Im hoping this will be a good start for a functional fitness style gym mainly focusing on hiit style workouts. I've got dumbbells, kettlebells, a rack with barbell and weights as well as an air bike. Would appreciate thoughts on this as a start!

thanks all,

I added a pulley system to my leg extension machine and connected to my weight stack pulley system, and it actually works pretty well, I still need to clean up and probably a better cable (non-adjustable) for durability, but so far I think it will work
Equipment used:
-lions cool seated leg curl/extension machine
-Aluminum pulley
-adjustable cable
-4inch 10m bolt to replace stock and connect pulley to frame.
-20 inch cable extension to wrap around the frame and weight horns.
Note : I can also also lower the trolley all the way down parallel to the cable but I adjust the cable loop 2 inches too long so I ended up easing the trolly up a little bit which I think it works better since it feel like it improved the cable path.