Looking for home gym

[Eraser]

Check out "Play It Again Sports" for some std DB bars. For the plates, you would need:

4x2.5lb
4x5lb

The rest as 10lb plates. Be sure to get long handles. Some can hold as many as 6-7 plates per side (120-140lbs/DB).

If you can't find long handles at PIAS, then buy the handles online, but get the plates at PIAS.

I wish I had seen this suggestion before. I just got a pair of standard dumbbell handles plus 150 lbs worth of plates (12x10lbs, 4x5lbs,4x2.5lbs) earlier today. The handles are 14", they weight 4.5 lbs each.

I thought I would be able to place all the plates in the handles, but I was wrong, they hold up to 4 plates on each side, therefore for the time being the maximum I can put on each db is 70 lbs (I might get 4 more 10 lbs plates to up the maximum to 80 lbs per db). I might get longer handles down the line to be able to add even more weight (not that I need it right now, but I hope to outgrow what I have at some point).

I bought everything new. Still, it was "only" $113 including tax, much better than either the selecttechs, powerblocks or ironmasters. I can live with spending a bit more time adding/removing weights if it saves me $300+.

For the time being, I am using my good old weider total body works 5000 as a bench.

 

[saltnppr64]

Try the max 450 (crossbow) when folded up it doesn't takeup that much room, and the price is also reasonable.

 

[ignign0kt]

I'm unsatisfied with the bowflex-type machines including the Weider because it's just not as efficient. I'm still considering the VigorFit, but I want to hear how good it is from someone who knows what they're talking about and has owned it for a while
And whether or not it's actually as good as they say for building muscle like freeweights.

 

[ignign0kt]

Can anyone that owns a VigorFit compare it to workout with free weights?
And are the resistance bands really that useful since the amount of resistance is never the same?