posted Wed, 03/24/2021 - 00:50
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Inexpensive free weights and gym equipment
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My wife and I recently started converting a room in our house into a home gym. We have about a $3000 budget we’d like to stay around. We want to put rubber mats down, hang mirrors the whole nine. We’re really thinking Olympic plates with a bench rack/squat rack combo is the route we would like to go. The problem is all workout equipment has gotten ridiculously expensive. I’m sure it’s due to supplier side challenges due to Covid as well as everyone in lockdown trying to do the same thing at their home.
Does anyone have any sources they’ve found for cheap gym equipment? I’d even be happy with used, commercial grade equipment. Maybe we can get a dialogue started and share some ideas on home gyms. Looking forward to hearing everyone’s ideas!
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At this particular juncture unfortunately you are not going to get very far with 3k. Just start adding where you can. Rogue is usually fair with their prices
Bigun2https://www.eroids.com/pics/new-home-gym-setup
Bigun2Bros!!! I just purchased:
300# of Olympic plates
8’Olympic Bar w clips
Combo Squat/Bench power rack
Bench
Total price: $603.
All new in the box from a local sporting goods store (Dick’s).
AnonBoom! GTG.
AnonDon't neglect to check out the big ones, factory direct too. I 'went Rogue' a week after the gyms closed. They have a 'bone yard' for blem bars and do some decent packages...some ship free.(That's a huge savings.)
Bigun2Good info thank you!
I spend days like a depraved gym addict searching high and low for 2nd hand gym equipment and Pale is on the money when he says you’re better off buying new, prices have gone insane, people are paying upward of £3 per kg for rusty plates.
I found a few independent companies who are making their own weights and waited for a good deal to come up. Teamed with some cables I’m still waiting on, ez/barbell/dumbbells, bench and a squat stand I’ve got a decent set up.
I’ve only spent a couple bob on the set up and have some spare sitting in the bank for once the fair weather home gym’ers go onto the next popular trend as the market will be haemorrhaging with 2nd hand equipment.
I gave up on Ali express as I couldn't set up my account. Every time I enter my details to register I can not get past the loading screen. I was able to get the slim Olympic plates made locally for £2/kg still using almost 3 months later. I have noticed prices slowly coming down as people prepare to get back in to gym in 2 weeks.
I have seen some good "no brand" equipment on Ali Express that seems to be resold here in the UK FB marketplace and Ebay with companies sticking their brands on to them.
I can really do with an ISO back row from there everything else I have purchased locally.
What material are the plates?
I noticed the UK companies rebranding the Ali gear also and its where I got most the negative reviews as the reviews on Ali were limited.
Mirafit are a brilliant British based company/brand I’ve brought a few items form, all made in the uk and reasonably priced.
The other was proplatesonline , the cost was a lot less than £3 per KG
Still looks like its gonna be a good while yet doesn't it on the UK gyms opening up again - A couple of lads I know that work security in the local supermarket I saw last night and fuck me they've lost some muscle Lol I didn't rub it in though because I'm a nice guy like that LMAO ;-)
Another 3 weeks I think, unfortunately I doubt they will stay open for very long, just enough time for people to get some sort of structure back to their lives then it’ll all come crumbling down again.
In the 2 months of lockdown it took me to order and receive my set up I lost 50kg on my squat for reps and lost condition and a good chunk of lean size. Credit to you for saying I needed to invest, you were right and I’m glad my missus forced me into buying it all.
Its absolutely unbelievable the amount of muscle and strength you can lose just over a few months when you aren't lifting properly and tone the gear down isn't it. You watch, even when the gyms open up again you'll still find yourself using the stuff at home a hell of a lot. The convenience and going at your own pace factor just cannot be beaten. I still see the benefit of the gym with the socialising aspect and bigger range of gear to use but I bet after the novelty wears off you'll be training at home 75% of the time.
I'm still crawling through the depths of shit weights after my injuries - I lost my head at the time and desire for deads too so they were more or less stopped for several months. Now I feel disgusted with myself with some of the weights I can no longer do ..... Going all back through the long slog again Lol
AnonPreach...just on the numbers, post elbow surgery 3 mos off...1 month into rehab....i lost 4 fuckin years. I hope that muscle memory shit is real. We're gonna see
Damn I didn't realise you were fresh out of surgery bud - was that a triceps tear?
That’s a dark place, lifting low weight for low reps knowing you could lift almost double before things took a bad turn. Thing is you know you know lifting ‘x’ amount of weight is possible so you’ve already got over the mental aspect of it which is a big battle, for me looking at 4 plates on either side of the squat bar was terrifying but now I’m building back up to it looking at 5 plates like I did with 4
I’ve already cancelled my gym membership with 0 plans to come back. I’ve put a sofa in the garage that my kids sit on while I work out. We chat away, they get involved, mess around and have a brilliant time while I have the music pumping and lift heavy. It sounds like hell but I love having them around and getting involved with something I’m passionate about.
AnonMan I hear that! I was headed towards the #495 squat mark, then I took those months off and switched to high rep during low calories while cruising and God damn, I haven't tried 405 in at least 1.5 months...it's all good though, adding weight is easy if you're ok with adding some body fat too lol
My current stay below 11% recomp blast is slowly changing into a, eat a whole cow ED and push up my numbers up. I’ll do my best to stay lean with visible abs but I’m betting I’ll finish around 16% and hopefully repping 405lbs heading towards the 440lbs for 5/6. 5 plates would be fucking insane. I’ve pm’ed you.
AnonGot it
The plates are steal and look like a basic job, not coated. They do the job for me and look similar to the ones in the link below.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Handled-Olympic-Free-Weight-Plates-Pack-...
I got a Mirafit bench and EZ bar, was going to order their power cage too but instead got Polish brand Ksport non commercial squat rack at a great price.
I think we just have to regularly check sites as bargains do pop up from time to time also get a cheap man and van to collect. I use https://www.shiply.com/ to get van drivers to collect for me, can post your collection details on their and van drivers will send you bids for the job.
My plates are the same. I can fit the 20’s on a pair of dumbbells with plenty of space for 2/3 more plates which is handy.
What ez bar have you got, the super ez bar? I’m about 10 minutes away from ordering that one but the standard one looks just as good for the same price. The cage I preorder are giving me the run around and I was thinking about buying mirafit wall cables and cancelling the preorder.
Thanks for the link, it would make the equipment 100+ miles away tempting.
Bigun2GM did you have a post you made about gym equipment. I thought I remembered one of my bro’s having a post but damned if I can find it.
I had one of them mate.
https://www.eroids.com/forum/general/off-topic/needing-advice
All my research lead me to the conclusion that you don’t want to buy gym equipment form Alibaba. As soon as my cables arrive I’ll be set.
I’ve pm’ed you.
Bigun2Thanks brother! I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around alibaba the past 48 hrs and it just sets off scanner alerts for some reason.
There is a lot of quality kit on there but also there’s a lot of litter which I wasn’t going to gamble my money on.
Bigun2I couldn’t agree more. Also, i just don’t feel real confident id get anything at all. China is kinda the wild Wild West when it comes to rights and I feel like they could have me send my $ and then ghost me. Just not worth it to me. Rather keep searching for deals. I also agree with you that this time next year the market will be flooded with cheap equipment due to Covid being behind us and lockdowns ending.
If you do your research there are a huge number of legit, long standing companies on there. If I had more disposable income I would have ordered a huge set up from there. Even with a risk factor as small as 10% I couldn’t risk it being of low quality. That would give my missus banter for the next 10 years
Bigun2I completely understand. My wife just has this smug look she gives me that just says “you’re an idiot, you’re so lucky I married you”. And she’s right, as she always is lol!
I would say from my experience for a home gym the price you pay for commercial clones is pretty good from Alibaba and as we know here they like to make a deal and sell. I wouldn't hesitate to look on alibaba depending on what you are after
Bigun2I just got a seller to quote me a price on:
2x45
2x35
2x25
2x 10
2x 5 cast iron plates w handles. Shipping and all out the door was $416. Not a horrible price, but not a smoking deal either.
So of that $416 the weights themselves cost $152.25. So $263.75 is the cost of shipping.
I plan to start with these weights, squat/bench rack, rubber mats for the floor and an Olympic bar. Then build over time from there.
I’ll sell you mine. 9’ 3” tall though. Nautilus life fitness and hammer strength. Smith machine power rack. Row. Military press. Preacher curl calf raise butterfly machine. For less than most people.
Bigun2Fr sent bro.
Accepted
I had bought mine way pre covid, but Titan fitness equipment is similar to rouge for half the price. Im sure its gone up since covid but worth a look. I was very happy with the quality.. great welds and finishes.
https://www.titan.fitness/racks/power-racks/t-2-series/
Bigun2Thanks bro they look like they have some sharp equipment for decent prices.
Bigun2https://huntsville.craigslist.org/spo/d/gurley-weights/7277970585.html
Found this (I’m not from the location it lists, just a random search) and thought it was interesting. I guess these folks are making their own plates out of cement then painting them. Kind of a cool concept.
From what I have seen on marketplace you are further ahead buying new. Rogue usually has competitive prices if you bundle a rack and bumper plates (for instance. I have about 20k wrapped up in my home gym now
Bigun2Yea it seems like the used market prices have caught up to the new prices, so there almost isn’t a point buying used. . I could see how one could quickly get to 20k. Nothing is cheap and once you get started it takes on a life of its own.
And I started putting it together 10 years ago. The only thing I have added post-covid was kettlebells.
AnonI added a baby and a divorce.. not trying to brag.
I got snipped 21 years ago. No worries about half of that equation lol
Bigun2The weekend Dad package. Nice! I’ve heard that setup is expensive.
AnonI was fortunate enough to not assume any extra debt or support payments, it ended very amicably!
Bigun2Glad to hear bro. As a child of divorced parents I can tell you it puts the kids through hell when the parents hate one another.
LOL Great to hear you are back on form again mate
You sound a million times different than when we first ever spoke, the balls must be filling up good now lol
Bigun2Bahaha I lost my coffee reading that! Yea, it’s amazing what regular sex and having some Test back in one’s system will do for a man. In the midst of trying to fix the fertility issues and on a ton of prescriptions I told my wife I identified as a post-menopausal woman lol!! It got bad. Glad to be back and feeling myself again!
Bigun2For some reason I seem to always decide to take on these projects when the other 6 billion inhabitants of the earth are as well so retailers are like that’ll be a 200% markup vs 3 years ago, sir.
Stevebhttps://www.newyorkbarbells.com/products.html
For new equipment that is some of the lowest prices. Other than that use Offer Up and Craigslist for used weight equipment. I own a few things from that website it's all sturdy but I don't know how well their cable equipment is.
I also bought something similar to this and it works great. You can make your own with pulleys from Home Depot for less
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Exerciser-Forearm-Weights-Workout/dp/B07...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DHLCKRS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=...
Bigun2Their prices look really competitive. Unfortunately they seem to be out of a lot of stuff. I made a link to their site on my phones homepage so I can check back and see if they restock. Those Amazon cable machines look legit. They’re also quite a bit cheaper than I’d imagined they’d be.
StevebGood prices on weight equipment don't last. Maybe it will get better now that gyms are open
I have their sissy squat, it is decent. I also see they sell dumbbell handles which I need and they are sold out of the size I need to make a pair of 25's