Building a home gym-need advice

[Jacked Johnson]

All right boys, I trust your recommendations so here it goes: I'm a veteran when it comes to lifting (10 plus years under my belt). I'm married and really don't have time for the long trip to my local gym. I'm going to purchase some equipment from the New York Barbells company and had some questions. Has anyone ever tried their version of lat pulldown machines? How about the "plate loaded kind" (where you put actual olympic plates on the posts). I'd be interested in just how smooth they are. I'm going with the following equipment: power rack with lat machine pulldown, bench, 500lbs of olympic plates, 10-120 lb dumbells from ironmaster. All this is going to cost me about 1700.00. At 28, I want to keep my physique up as long as I can. I'm currently 5'11, 230lbs at about 9 percent bodyfat(no gear). Not like the old days, but still kickingl. Thanks for the help.-Jacked

 

[Tarheel]

You could probably pick up a lot of the olympic plates, a bar, and a bench slightly used and cheap. Maybe even a used rack...

 

[skaman607]

Check out the article on www.elitefts.com/elite-articles/home/default.asp about building your home gym

 

[gonelifting]

I`ve had a couple of the lower priced lat machines in my home gym and I must say if you can afford to go for the better quality selectorised weight stack DO IT. The "cheaper" machine I had broke after a few workouts ($300 US). It`s also not as smooth of a motion with the plate loading type.
The one I have now can be used for pulldowns and low rows without changing the cables but I would not purchase it again.

I just checked thier website. That`s where I bought my machine (New York Barbell). I have a low ceiling in my basement so they had to custom cut the height and that`s the only place that does that so I had little choice of places to buy.

 

[Jacked Johnson]

gonelifting, I sent you a PM regarding the quality of New York barbells quality as an equipment maker (also known as TDS). If anyone out there has any experience with their products (especially lat machines: plate loaded and seletorised units), let me know. Thanks.

 

[Jacked Johnson]

bump

 

[gonelifting]

I do have the lat machine with a single 2"x2" square tube that the weight slides up and down on. There are no bearings with this method (on this particular machine) it just slides against plastic and metal that`s greased. So I would think the double stack your talking about would be better than this.
Just a note when I was looking at the site again I saw a selectorized stack lat machine . it looked beutiful for $750 on sale or clearance, not sure which. My machine was $300 , the one your talking about I`m sure would go for 5 or 600 so your not too far off that unit marked down from 1 or 2k. If I could do it again I would get that $750 one. NO DOUBT sorry Jacked about the PM ... never used it before... I`m new here

 

[louden_swain]

For your purspose, here is a list:

Power Rack
Adjustable Bench (decline, flat, and incline)
700lbs of olympic plates
10-120lb dumbbells

Additional: If you can afford

Pulley System (triceps and rows)

with this equipment you can do everything and with safety.

 

[b fold the truth]

I sure do like mine...A LOT of it was either free or hand made...

B True

 

[pure_player]

If you're near northern CA. I'm selling my Parabody setup:

Parabody 893 Pro System.

Free-weight Power Rack.
Has high and low pullies, and pec attatchment.
Five bar attatchments: parrallel grip row, staight bar, wide grip padded lat, swivel and fixed v-bar.
Adjustable bench with leg attatchment (with olympic adaptor) and preacher curl.
Olympic bar
Olympic EZ Curl bar
275 lbs of plates with weight tree
4 quick-lok collars.
15-35lb DB pairs in 5lb increments.
1" 4x6 Parabody floormat.

$900 obo.

-Matt